"The No. 5 position is between Rishabh and Hooda" - Robin Uthappa on India's middle-order conundrum
Veteran batter Robin Uthappa believes Rishabh Pant and Deepak Hooda will fight for the No. 5 spot in India's playing XI ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year.
The Men in Blue's middle order came in for criticism following the defeats against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2022. Both Pant and Hooda flattered to deceive as India were knocked out of the continental competition.
While the Indian think tank will look to settle their middle-order combinations in the upcoming white-ball series' against Australia and South Africa, Uthappa feels the No. 5 spot will be a toss-up between Hooda and Pant. Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, he stated:
"I'd say the No. 5 position is between Rishabh and Hooda. The only thing is Hooda is batting better at the moment and he can offer you something with the ball like he did today. It took him one ball to show that he can contribute with the ball.
"The 18 matches that he's played for India since he started playing, India won 16 out of them. He’s only lost two games and those are the last two matches."
Uthappa added:
"They should also consider the factors that he is batting so well and he’s a middle-order bat so keep him in the middle-order position at No. 5 and then you have six and you have seven with Hardik in Dinesh and then you have the bowlers."
I have a strong feeling #RishabhPant won’t be picked for T20 World Cup. Which will be a good decision. Sanju Samson should be given a chance. Surya, Sanju, Deepak and Pandya will make a good middle order #BCCI #CricketTwitter #Cricket #AsiaCup2022
Pant scored 14 and 17 against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively, while Hood could only manage 16 and three. The two players will have a lot to play for in the upcoming series' against Australia and South Africa to stake a claim in India's T20 World Cup squad.
"Anything less than that will be considered a brain fade" - Robin Uthappa on Dinesh Karthik's place in India's T20 World Cup squad
We want Dinesh Karthik as permanent wicket keeper batsman for India till T20 World cup 2022.
@BCCI @DineshKarthik
Dinesh Karthik stormed back into the Indian side on the back of a good IPL 2022 campaign for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He smashed 330 runs at a strike rate of over 180.
The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer has since made some telling contributions with the willow. However, he has been in and out of the playing XI, raising questions about his place in the T20 World Cup squad.
Sharing his views on the same, Uthappa thinks Karthik should definitely be on the plane to Australia:
"I think anything less than that will be considered a brain fade."
Karthik was dropped from India's playing XI for the Super 4 games against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with Pant featuring in both games.
Although the southpaw failed to make a mark with the bat in the two high-pressure games, Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara feels the wicketkeeper-batter will be in the T20 World Cup squad.
According to Pujara, Hardik Pandya and Karthik should also be part of India's middle order. He stated:
"I think if I had to pick my No. 5, 6 and 7 I would go with the kind of Asia Cup we had. I think we need we need to strengthen our batting lineup and I would go with Rishabh at No. 5, Hardik at No. 6 and DK at No. 7."
"I think we need to include both Rishabh and DK needs to play unless you're looking for Hooda to bowl a few overs if he bowls, then I think Rishabh misses out and Deepak has too bat at No. 5."
India will hope to sort out their middle-order woes when they lock horns with Australia in a three-match T20I series, which gets underway on September 20 in Mohali.