According to cricket experts, India’s playing XI still needs a bit of tinkering.
Former India player, Gautam Gambhir is of the opinion that Rishabh Pant is a proper player than Dinesh Karthik.
He feels that Karthik has only shown the intention to play as a finisher in T20Is.
India are going to begin their campaign against Pakistan on the 23rd of October at the MCG and Gambhir feels that Pant is a more versatile batter than Karthik.
Gambhir also feels that picking Dinesh Karthik in the playing XI would be a risky option for India in the tournament.
Says Gambhir,
In my playing XI, Rishabh Pant should play at No.5, Hardik Pandya at No.6, and Axar Patel at No.7. But what we have seen in the practice matches, Dinesh Karthik will play. But a player is not picked to play just 10 balls. You should pick a player so that he can bat at No.5 or 6.
Continuing further, Gambhir added,
But Dinesh Karthik has not shown that intention. He and the team management have shown the intention that he will bat only in the last 2-3 overs and that can be dangerous because in Australia, if you lose early wickets, you might have to send in Axar Patel early because you wouldn’t want to expose Hardik early. That is why I picked Pant in my playing XI. But again that won’t happen.
On the other hand, Gambhir said that in terms of a first-choice pacer, India must select Mohammad Shami as he can deliver the goods in Bumrah’s absence.
You will have to play with three pacers. Mohammad Shami should be picked first, before Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel. Hardik Pandya will be the fourth seamer and the sixth bowling option.
India would have to revive their pace department in two days’ time and also finalize their choice of wicketkeeper-batsman.
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