IND vs AUS 2022: "Won't be surprised if Pant is dropped from the WC too"- Fans react to Team India dropping Rishabh Pant for Dinesh Karthik

Team India have left out Rishabh Pant from their playing XI for the first T20I against Australia at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on Tuesday, September 20.

There has been a lot of debate going around on who will get the nod between Pant and Dinesh Karthik, and the team management has gone with the experienced finisher.

Pant was drafted into India's playing XI for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. The thought process was likely that they needed a left-hander in the middle order, after Ravindra Jadeja's injury left the spot vacant. However, the young southpaw failed to make a mark once again and now finds himself on the bench.

Here's how fans on Twitter reacted:

Good selection
Par ab fir pant se bharosa uth gaya kya 🤔
Kitne ball khela wo jab se Karthik ko drop kiye uske liye...40 aaspaas
Captain, coaching management still unsure twitter.com/CricCrazyJohns…

Would love for someone from indian team management to come out and explain how dk is a better batsman or a better wicketkeeper than rishabh pant and it cannot be standard ipl stat garbage from one last season.

People were expecting Pant to start? Lmfao.

Take it easy urvashi
No pant playing 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
#INDvsAUS @RishabhPant17 @UrvashiRautela
@Uboss333 @SatyamSinghGur6 https://t.co/qJc7KNLWsT

@HandsomeKittu @RishabhPant17 @UrvashiRautela @SatyamSinghGur6 No pant no party 😭

Feeling, Should have considered Rishabh Pant over KL Rahul!

#INDvAUS #INDvsAUS #AUSvIND #AUSvsIND

Is It Start Of Ind With No Pant In t20s?

No LHB in Top 6 🙃 dropped Pant 👍🏽 #INDvsAUS https://t.co/hNFsj7u8hD

Won't be a surprise if pant gets dropped from the wc too

This will generally be the trend for India till the end of the T20 World Cup.

- If Rishabh Pant sits out, then Axar Patel will play. When Axar plays, Ashwin misses out.

- If Rishabh Pant plays, then Axar will be 50/50 with Ashwin having a stronger chance of getting selected.

Now that India have benched Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik & Axar Patel deserve an extended run in the remaining matches before the T20 World Cup. They shouldn't be dropped again after just one game. India need to try this combination as extensively as possible. #INDvAUS

Team India will be missing Jasprit Bumrah's services

Captain Rohit Sharma mentioned at the toss that they didn't want to rush Jasprit Bumrah back into the playing XI and that he would probably be a part of the team from the second T20I.

Given that the Men in Blue will be defending a total and with dew probably set to come in during the second half, it will be interesting to see how they fill Bumrah's void. Harshal Patel, who returned to the playing XI after recovering from his side strain, could play a role at the death.

All eyes, however, will be on their batting lineup and how they go about their approach after failing to qualify for the Asia Cup final earlier this month.

Playing XIs for both teams:

India XI: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Matthew Wade (wk), Tim David, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood