"I will go with the current form " - Ravi Shastri backs Dinesh Karthik to make it to India's T20 World Cup squad
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that Dinesh Karthik should be in the team for the T20 World Cup 2022. He believes that the veteran wicketkeeper-batter will be a better bet for team India when compared to Ishan Kishan.
He cited the experience and current form of the two players as the reason for his choice.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Shastri pointed out that Dinesh Karthik has also proved that he is supremely fit during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2022). Furthermore, he stated that Karthik's ability to play the pull shot and the cut shot will be an added advantage on the Australian tracks.
Shastri said:
"I will go with the current form and the conditions. The kind of shots that can be played there and the experience coming into play, there's no doubt about that. And when it comes to the fitness of a player, he is as fit as anyone around."
However, he highlighted that it won't be easy for Karthik to make it to the playing XI. Shastri opined that the 36-year-old could surely be included in the squad for the marquee event.
He added:
"He won't make it to the 11, but he'll be in the squad. I'm looking at Australia and the kind of conditions and pitches that are there and the kind of shots he has - the cut and the pull."
Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik's IPL career got a new life after he was picked up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for ₹5.50 crore at the auction. He has grabbed the opportunity with both hands and has been performing well in the role of a finisher for his side.
He has amassed 210 runs from seven matches so far in this year's cash-rich league. It is worth mentioning that he has been dismissed just once in the edition and has a magnificent strike rate of 205.88 to his name.
One step at a time ✨ https://t.co/Mtjt2c0HDB
"Dinesh Karthik is going to be suited to Australian conditions" - Chris Lynn
Australian cricketer Chris Lynn believes that Dinesh Karthik will be a valuable asset for team India in the T20 World Cup 2022. This is especially considering the conditions in Australia. He highlighted how the the senior player has done well Down Under in the past.
Karthik struggled to score runs when he was the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders last year. However, Lynn believes that he has made amends by turning things around in his RCB stint.
He explained:
"He's had a couple of lean seasons but I think that was because he was a captain. But now he's got the freedom to finish games for RCB. He's got the backing of the guys like Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell and he can just go and whack the ball. He's going to be suited to Australian conditions. He has done it and proven it before in Australia."
He added:
"I wouldn't be looking at him for internationals leading up, but I would just be looking at him for the World Cup. You don't need to blow him up as you already know what he can do. It's going to be tough in the 11, but surely can be there in the squad."
Lynn also added that having Karthik in the squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 will also help the team's youngsters. He concluded:
"He's got experience and is a good to guy to have around in the group with his work ethic. This is what the youngsters need to see as well. It's the highs and lows that he's been through and what he can give to the youngsters. As an Australian, I'd hate to pick Dinesh Karthik because he is such a strength and a weapon for them."
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Dinesh Karthik will next be seen in action on Saturday (April 23) when RCB take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The contest will be played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.