"This could be a game-changer for him" - Dinesh Karthik makes his pick between Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat for WTC final
Veteran Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik believes Team India need to give KS Bharat an extended run as their gloveman ahead of Ishan Kishan for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, beginning on Wednesday, June 7.
There has been a lot of debate about whether Ishan Kishan should be brought into the XI as a surprise factor. However, Dinesh Karthik feels Bharat has shown some promise as a batter during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year and wants Team India to continue with him.
Speaking to Cricbuzz ahead of the WTC final, here's what Dinesh Karthik had to say about the wicketkeeper conundrum for Team India:
"I would go for KS Bharat only because of continuity. I think he’s played four Test matches against Australia. In difficult conditions, give him one more opportunity. He played a couple of 25-30s, but he looked good, and he did try and kept really well in the series. I do think this could well be a game-changer for him, this game."
Karthik has played enough Test cricket in England to have knowledge about how the keepers need to adjust to those conditions.
Here's what he had to say about wicketkeeping in England:
"There’s not gonna be too much hard work for the keepers apart from the fact that it does wobble a bit, so it takes a bit of skill, keeping in England."
"It’s hard on Ishan Kishan to come straightaway and play a final" - Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik further explained why he prefers India to go with KS Bharat ahead of Ishan Kishan. He feels it will be a tough ask for Ishan to make his Test debut in a massive game like the WTC final and also have an impact straightaway.
On this, Karthik stated:
"Though, I think Ishan Kishan will be pretty good with the gloves. But just for pure continuity, you have given five games is a lot fairer. I know it’s a World Test Championship final, and also, I feel it’s hard on Ishan Kishan to come straightaway and play a final whereas KS Bharat has been part of the Test squad.
"They’ve been grooming him for some time now. So, give him the opportunity."
Captain Rohit Sharma has said that the XI will be decided on Wednesday, which means that one will have to wait a bit longer to see who between Bharat and Ishan play.