Asia Cup 2022: Impossible to have both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in playing XI – Cheteshwar Pujara

Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara feels it impossible for the team to play both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in the playing XI. India’s top four – KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav – pick themselves while Hardik Pandya is expected to play as a seam-bowling all-rounder.

Rishabh Pant, who hasn’t been able to prove his mettle in the T20 format, might edge Dinesh Karthik for the wicket-keeping role. Karthik has been in fine form and has provided the finishing touches in the recent past.

The veteran right-hander had scored 330 runs in 16 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2022 and thus he had earned his return to the national team.

Karthik recently scored a fine knock of 41 runs off just 19 balls in the first T20I against the West Indies. India is also expected to back Ravindra Jadeja as a spin-bowling all-rounder and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, and Avesh Khan are expected to be India’s pace battery.

Pujara, who has been in prolific form in the Royal One-Day Cup for Sussex, feels Rishabh Pant will be the idol batter to bat at number five while Dinesh Karthik will be a better option as a finisher.

“It’s (choosing between Pant and Karthik) a big headache for the team management as both are doing really well in T20 format. The call is whether you want someone to bat at No.5 or you want a finisher who can bat at No. 6 or 7. So, I would say, if you want someone at No. 5, Rishabh Pant is a better choice. But if you want to a have a batting line-up with a very good finisher who is likely to play 10 or 20 balls and give you 40-50 runs, I think DK (Karthik) is the better option,” said Pujara on ESPNcricinfo T20 Time:out.

“Personally, I think, knowing the team management (and) knowing how things work around the team, I would think they might go with Pant because he is a left-hander and gives the team a bit of balance with a left-right combination,” added Pujara.

Meanwhile, Pujara added that he would definitely want Suryakumar Yadav to be part of the final XI as he has been performing consistently. Yadav had scored a magnum opus knock of 117 runs off just 55 balls in the third T20I against England.

“Surya is one of our top T20 players, so I would definitely want him in the side because he can… he is someone who has done really well for Mumbai Indians (in IPL). Whenever I’ve seen him at No. 4, he has done exceptionally well. So, I don’t think the team management will leave him out. If Rishabh and Karthik both have to play then I think you have to drop one of the top-order (batters), which is impossible. So, I don’t think both can make the playing XI,” opined Pujara.