Both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik have got a place in the Indian team selected for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. When the team was announced, India had to play 6 T20 Internationals till the start of the World Cup . People thought that in these matches, the team management would use Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper and Dinesh Karthik as the finisher.
Some cricket experts had also raised questions on keeping Karthik in the team for only the last 3-4 overs. However, nothing of the sort happened. The team management went ahead with Karthik. Since then, the debate has intensified as to who should definitely be a part of the playing XI between Karthik and Pant. Now Australian legend Adam Gilchrist has also entered this debate.
In a conversation with the International Cricket Council (ICC), Gilchrist said, ‘Rishabh Pant’s courage and the way he faces the bowling attack. I think he must be in that Indian line-up. They (Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik) can play together, but I think Rishabh Pant should have definitely been there.
Gilchrist continued, saying, ‘It will be interesting to see if they can both play in the same team. I think they can. See what they bring to a team…. Dinesh Karthik is a versatile genius.
Gilchrist , who was part of the three-time World Cup winning Australian cricket team , said, “Dinesh Karthik can play in the top order. He can do what he has done a lot later in his career (finishing the middle and last overs). They have a really good tough game.
Rishabh Pant was not in the playing XI in the match against Pakistan in Asia Cup too
Let us tell you that Rishabh Pant was also dropped in the match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2022. In the next match, both the wicketkeepers i.e. Pant and Karthik were kept in the playing XI by resting Hardik Pandya. Pant also featured in the match against Sri Lanka before replacing Karthik against Pakistan in the Super 4 stage. Although both he and Karthik played in the match against Afghanistan, they were not included in the playing XI in the first T20 against Australia at home.
