Asia Cup 2022 | With Ravindra Jadeja injured, Rishabh Pant has to replace Dinesh Karthik: Scott Styris
India Today
Asia Cup 2022: Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris said India can't take a risk of playing without Rishabh Pant in the top 6 after Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to a knee injury on Friday.
Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris on Friday, September 2 said India will be forced to make a change due to Ravindra Jadeja's injury, adding that Rishabh Pant is a must in the top 6 for the defending champions in the remainder of the Asia Cup 2022.
Ravindra Jadeja, who shone in India's wins over Pakistan and Hong Kong in Group A, was ruled out on Friday due to a right knee injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed Axar Patel as Jadeja's replacement.Notably, India had played Jadeja at No. 4 and preferred Dinesh Karthik ahead of Rishabh Pant in their 5-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup opener.
Pant returned to the XI for their game against Hong Kong on Wednesday but only after Hardik Pandya was rested as India backed Karthik as their first-choice finisher.
However, with Jadeja injured, Styris believes India need a left-hander in the top 6 as opposition teams will try and make use of the lack of variety if India play right-handers at the top.
"I think you have to make a change now, I think Rishabh Pant has to come in for Dinesh Karthik," Styris told Star Sports on Friday.
"Karthik has done nothing wrong, the form that he has displayed over the last 6-9 months has been outstanding but you can't go in with a top 6 with only right-handers, I don't think it works, opposition teams look to exploit that, especially with the ball turning away. Rishabh Pant, just with his ability to take on left-arm spinners and leg-spinners, I think he now has to come into the side as a forced change, because Jadeja was so important to this Indian team,"he added.
Notably, Karthik nudged ahead of Pant in the pecking order with his consistent performances as a finisher ever since he returned to the T20I set-up after a stunning show in IPL 2022 wherein he scored 380 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore at a strike rate of over 180.
