Former Indian selector Saba Karim has said that he would pick Rishabh Pant over Dinesh Karthik in the Indian playing XI as the left-handed batter is an “X-factor” and he sees him delivering stellar performances in the Asia Cup 2022.
Saba Karim Praises Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant have played 54 ODI matches so far and scored 883 runs at an average of 23.86 which includes 3 half-centuries while Dinesh Karthik have played 47 T20I matches and scored 591 runs at an average of 28.14 with the highest score of 55.
“Well in my 11, I could’ve only picked 1 wicketkeeper batter, because if I’m getting in KL Rahul and Virat Kohli that leaves me with the choice of picking only one player between Dinesh Kartik and Rishabh Pant.
I’ve gone ahead with Rishabh Pant because he’s such an X Factor for India and I can see him delivering some stellar performances even this Asia cup,” said Saba Karim on SPORTS18’s daily sports news show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP’
“I’m also preferring a combination which allows me to play 5 wicket-taking bowlers. On top of that, I have Hardik Pandya as my 6th bowling option. So, if I go in with this kind of combination then I don’t have space for 2 wicket-keepers,” he added.
Karim also said Suryakumar Yadav can be a floater for the versatility he brings in. “Suryakumar Yadav is such a multi-dimensional player, I can keep him as a floater. I can push him up the order, if my two openers bat say till the 7th-8th over, I can push in SKY then.
Or in case it is required, I can also push him down the order because he’s such a player who can give me value at whatever number he bats and I’m looking at my 4-5-6 as floaters. I will in fact keep Rishabh Pant very handy.”
“Because if I feel that I need to push in a left-hander at the top of the order, I can do that as well. But as of now my fixed 3 positions at the top would be Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli,” he added.
India will play their first match of the Asia Cup 2022 against Pakistan on August 28 in Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.
