IND vs HK LIVE: Ex-selector Saba Karim makes BIG statement, says, ‘with Ravindra Jadeja used as floater in Asia Cup, Rishabh Pant has no place in Playing XI’

IND vs HK LIVE: The exclusion of Rishabh Pant in India’s opening game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup was a surprise. It remains to be seen if the management will pick Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant against HongKong on Wednesday. Former selector and India wicketkeeper Saba Karim believes with Ravindra Jadeja success as a floater, it might be difficult to see Pant in the Playing XI with the team persisting with Karthik. Follow Asia Cup 2022 live updates 

Also Read: India Playing XI vs HK: Rishabh Pant likely to COME BACK, who will Rohit Sharma DROP against Hong Kong? Follow Asia Cup 2022 Live Updates

Jadeja, who was promoted to number four in the last match, scored 30-odd runs. There was an element of confidence in his batting as well. So, the management might stick with Karthik as the wicketkeeper and Jadeja at the crucial number four.

IND vs HKG LIVE: Ex-selector Saba Karim makes BIG statement, says, ‘with Ravindra Jadeja as floater in Asia Cup, Rishabh Pant has no place in Playing XI’

“I think at least for the Asia cup, the Indian team management seems to have decided to have Dinesh Karthik and that is why they want to utilise Ravindra Jadeja as a floater. So, we saw him going up the order at number 4 in the last outing and we may see that happen more often as the game progresses because Jadeja brings a different kind of dimension,” Karim said in the Sports 18 show, ‘Sports Over The Top’.

What does Jadeja bring it at number four?  The player has the ability to play according to the situation, and has a decent technique too. He is not a compulsive hitter, which makes him an ideal player at number four.

If the team management wants him to bat down the order, and make use of the slog overs, the southpaw is also capable of that. Though Karim suggested that it is difficult for Pant to feature in the Playing XI, he believes Pant is an x-factor.

🗣 “Any opposition will be intimidated by India’s batting order” – Ravindra Jadeja

Do you agree with the allrounder? 🤔 https://t.co/EyZeTYbN1v #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/t9Jl6z87xf

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 31, 2022

“Also, Jadeja has become such a mature left-hand bat who can bat up the order at number 4 or number 5 and if there’s an opportunity, he can also come down the order and score quick runs. So, which means that as of now there’s no place for Rishabh Pant in the 11. But having said that I do believe that Rishabh Pant is such an X factor. He can win you games from situations where the team has got no chance whatsoever. So why would you want to keep someone like Rishabh Pant out of the 11,” Karim added. 

What will happen in the T20 World Cup: With Pant dropped from the Playing XI, and if the team management continue with that in the Asia Cup, things will get interesting. Pant, as has shown in the past, can change the game in a matter of overs.

In fact, the decision all boils down to Pant vs Karthik. Hence, this Asia Cup is important in the context. If India persists with Karthik and he fails to deliver, the southpaw’s chance will further increase to play in Australia at the T20 World Cup.