Asia Cup 2022: "You are doing a grave injustice to Dinesh Karthik" - Aakash Chopra wants Rishabh Pant to play vs Hong Kong

Aakash Chopra wants India to play Rishabh Pant instead of Dinesh Karthik, stating that it is a 'grave injustice' to Karthik to deploy him at the No. 7 position.

India will face Hong Kong in their second match of the Asia Cup 2022 in Dubai on Wednesday (August 31). Rohit Sharma and the team management opted to play Karthik ahead of Pant in their tournament opener against Pakistan.

While previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra had the following to say about the choice between the two wicketkeeper-batters:

"Can there be any changes done in this match? I feel there is one change that should but will not happen. If you have to play Jaddu (Jadeja) at No. 4 and you need a left-hander at No. 4 for sure, if you can't do without that, then play Rishabh Pant because, at No. 7, you are doing a grave injustice to Dinesh Karthik also."

While observing that a specialist finisher cannot be slated to bat at No. 7, Chopra feels India will stick to the same XI that played against Pakistan. The former opener stated:

"What is the gain from batting there? A specialist does not play at No. 7, but I feel that is not going to happen. India are going to go with the same team in this match."

"It was a tough call we had to take between playing Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant, Rishabh sadly misses out." - Rohit Sharma

Karthik, who batted at No. 7 against Pakistan, got to face just one delivery. With India needing seven runs off five balls, the experienced player took a single to give the strike to a well-set Hardik Pandya, who finished the match with a six.

"You will still bowl after winning the toss" - Aakash Chopra

Rohit Sharma (left) chose to bowl first against Pakistan. [P/C: BCCI/Twitter]

Chopra feels Rohit Sharma will look to field first if he wins the toss, reasoning:

"One viewpoint is that you should bat first after winning the toss in such a match. I feel you won't be able to do that. You will still bowl after winning the toss because the opposition team are no pushovers, no team is a pushover."

Chopra pointed out that the Men in Blue just about managed to stave off a loss against Hong Kong the last time the two teams met at the 2018 Asia Cup. The reputed commentator recalled:

"The last time we met them in 2018, there was an opening partnership of 172 runs, sweat was coming out from every body part, it was such a bad situation, and there were questions if India will lose, because they were chasing 280 only. India won, but at that time, we were in trouble."

Nizakat Khan and Anshy Rath strung together a 174-run opening partnership for Hong Kong in pursuit of a 286-run target when the two teams clashed four years ago. India, however, went on to win the match by 26 runs once the two openers were dismissed in consecutive overs.