India Squad T20 WC: No TRUST in Rishabh Pant, won't be in Playing XI for India vs Pakistan clash, Check WHY?

India Squad T20 WC: India vs Australia LIVE: Rohit Sharma & Co are set for two more warm-up games to get the house in order for T20 World Cup. But as things stand, Rishabh Pant doesn’t feature in the plans. With dwindling performance in T20s, he has not done any favour. With India handing over the big gloves to Dinesh Karthik despite Pant being in the line-up, the message is clear, the team management has already lost confidence in the youngster. Hence, barring any late injuries, it’s unlikely that Rishabh Pant will be in India’s Playing XI for the India vs Pakistan match on October 23. Follow IND vs AUS Warm-up LIVE & T20 World Cup LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.

In the two warm-up games India played against Western Australia XI, Pant returned with 9 runs each. While Dinesh Karthik did not fare better either in those two games, he has done enough to keep him out of the Playing XI at least for this T20 World Cup. As per Team India sources in Australia, Rishabh Pant has already lost the team’s trust and won’t be in the Playing XI for the Pakistan match.

India Squad T20 WC: Team management losing confidence on Rishabh Pant, ‘unlikely’ to be in Indian Playing XI for blockbuster clash vs Pakistan: CHECK OUT

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In 2022 alone, Dinesh Karthik has scored 273 runs off just 181 deliveries he has faced in 19 innings. For Pant, he has scored 338 runs in 17 innings but it’s not the role Team India wants. Karthik has excelled in the finisher’s role, scoring at a strike rate of 150.82. For Pant, although he scores at 136.84, his role at No 5 isn’t something that the team management wants.

India Squad T20 WC: Rishabh Pant vs Dinesh Karthik – who gets the call?

In 2022, Rishabh Pant has managed 338 runs in 17 innings at an average of 26.00.
He has got just one half-century batting at No 5 or as an opener, scoring at 136.84.
For Dinesh Karthik, he has done reasonably well at No 7, scoring at 150.82.
It’s the strike rate that is important as he gets to bat only in the death overs.
Middle-order muddle: Rishabh Pant’s place in the team is even more difficult with the crowded middle-order.
If Pant gets in, India lose an all-rounder at No 5-6.
Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda or even R Ashwin are all important players because of their all-round abilities.
Karthik on the other hand has a specific role to hammer from the first ball in the last few balls.
As Pant has failed to get there, he hasn’t done himself any favour.

India Squad T20 WC: Team management losing confidence on Rishabh Pant, ‘unlikely’ to be in Indian Playing XI for blockbuster clash vs Pakistan: CHECK OUT

However, when India face Australia and New Zealand in two official warm-up matches, Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma are expected to give both of them some game time to see where they stand finally. If Pant pulls off a miracle, he will keep his options open. But if he doesn’t, Dinesh Karthik will don the big gloves in the India vs Pakistan match on October 23.

India T20 WC Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh. Standby Players: Mohammad Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur

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