Cricket News

Michael Vaughan explains why he would prefer Rishabh Pant ahead of Dinesh Karthik in India’s playing XI

The Indian team management ought to make selection calls with regards to their best eleven that can take the park for the 20-20 World cup, which is slated to take place in November and December down under later in the year. To make the call, India will be keenly monitoring the developments that unfold in the games that take place at the Asia Cup and the selectors will look to make decisions that matter so that it will benefit Team India in the World Cup.

A precursor of that strongest eleven was seen in the second T20I of the recently-concluded T20I series against England, which Rohit Sharma’s team won 2-1. Barring KL Rahul, all the expected first-choice players played in the second T20I in Birmingham.

The big question which India have is on the role and position in the eleven of wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant. The swash-buckling left-hander opened in Birmingham in absence of KL Rahul and smashed 26 runs off 15 balls but is likely to slot back in the middle-order again once KL Rahul is fit.

The former England Captain and current commentator, Michael Vaughan has his thoughts set on who should be the preferred choice of wicket-keeper for India. Vaughan had a clear choice of picking Rishabh Pant over Dinesh Karthik.

The primary reason being that Rishabh Pant who is a left handed batter will be able to work well in combination and break the monotony of right handed batters in the Indian T-20 side. The team comprises of top heavy right handers like KL Rahul , Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav and the like which will present a different problem to the bowlers of opposition sides and also to the opposition skipper.

“I am just looking at how India would juggle all these players into the final XI for the World Cup. KL Rahul will come back in. Rishabh Pant, DK, one of them will have to keep. I don’t think both of them will play. I want Rishabh in because he’s left-handed,” Vaughan spoke his mind on the Rishabh Pant debate while speaking on Cricbuzz Live show.