Both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik can play in India T20I XI: Adam Gilchrist
India Today
India vs Australia: Legendary Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has urged India to find space for both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in the XI in T20Is. Karthik seems to be higher on the pecking order at the moment.
Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has said Rishabh Pant needs to be a certainty in India's playing XI, especially in Australian conditions for the T20 World Cup. Pant has been in and out of the T20I side despite having been picked for the World Cup, starting October 16.
With Ravindra Jadeja not available for the T20 World Cup, India might not have the luxury to play two wicketkeepers in Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik but the legendary Australian cricketer said it won't be a bad idea for Rohit Sharma's men to play both of them in the XI.
India have picked both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in their squad for the T20 World Cup. However, Dinesh Karthik has been given the nod ahead of his young counterpart. It was evident by the way India picked their XI for the first of an ongoing 3-match T20I series against Australia.
India had picked Karthik ahead of Pant at the Asia Cup but the young wicketkeeper returned to the XI after Jadeja was ruled out of the Super 4 stage as India wanted a left-handed batter in the top 6. In one game, both Pant and Karthik played but India rested an all-rounder in Hardik Pandya.
"The dare of Rishabh Pant and the courage for him, the way in which he takes on bowling attacks," Gilchrist said, as quoted by the ICC.
"I think he’s got to be a must in that Indian line-up. They can play together, but I think Rishabh Pant has definitely got to be in there."
Pant has been a highly-impactful player in Tests and has found success in ODI cricket too. However, the Delhi batter has not been able to replicate the success in the shortest format of the game. In 58 T20Is, Pant has scored 934 runs at an average of less than 25.
