Rishabh Pant vs Dinesh Karthik: Adam Gilchrist names player who is a 'must' in Indian line-up

Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik have been engaged in a fierce battle for the spot behind the stumps. While Pant featured in most of the matches for India in the Asia Cup 2022, Karthik seems to be the preferred option in the T20I series against Australia.

TN Sports Desk

Updated Sep 23, 2022, 11:41 IST

Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik are India's two wicket-keepers for T20Is

Photo : AP

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Dinesh Karthik was preferred over Rishabh Pant in the first T20I between India and Australia.
Adam Gilchrist feels Pant is a must in the Indian team.
The Aussie legend also feels Pant and Karthik can both be a part of the same playing XI.

Throughout the Asia Cup 2022, a debate between the battle for the wicket-keeper's spot between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik kept the Indian cricket fans and former cricketers busy. Even in the T20I series against Australia, the chatter hasn't died.

It was Dinesh Karthik who featured over Rishabh Pant in the first T20I against Australia but failed to do much damage with the bat. Pant, on the other hand, was preferred over Karthik in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2022.

"The dare of Rishabh Pant and the courage for him, the way in which he takes on bowling attacks. 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,” Gilchrist told ICC.

Both Pant and Karthik are primarily wicket-keepers. While Karthik can play in the outfield as well, Pant isn't as comfortable in another position than the one behind the stumps.

Over the last few months, Karthik has specifically been assigned the role of a finisher in the Indian team. Pant, on the contrary, is a middle-order batter who hasn't managed to impact the game in T20Is the way he has in red-ball cricket.

“It’ll be interesting to see if they can both play in the same team. I think they can. What they bring to a team… the versatility of Dinesh Karthik, he can play at the top of the order, he can, as he has done more so later in his career, be in the middle and late overs to finish. He has a really nice touch game,” the legendary wicket-keeper batter said.

Karthik has represented India in 51 T20Is in his career so far, scoring 598 runs at an average of 27.18 and a strike rate of 139.71. Pant, meanwhile, has scored 934 runs in 58 matches at an average of 23.95 and a strike-rate of 126.39 so far.

Latest News