Ajay Jadeja believes Dinesh Karthik should be in the batting line-up if India plays both captain Rohit Sharma and ex-captain Virat Kohli in the playing XI as he will act like an ‘insurance’ down the order.
However, if the duo aren’t not playing together Dinesh Karthik is not needed. The former India cricketer also said he won’t pick Dinesh Karthik in India’s 2022 T20I World Cup squad but won’t mind having him alongside him in the commentary team.
Ajay Jadeja did not pick India’s 2022 T20I World Cup squad as certain, but he did hint at what he feels the playing XI of the Indian team should look like for the big tournament.
India is two months away from travelling to Australia for the 2022 T20I World Cup. While the audition for a place in the final 15 continues for all, barring a few names, veterans and experts have continued to place their opinion on how the team should look like and who should be part of the team.
Ajay Jadeja Added Mohammed Shami To The 2022 T20I World Cup Squad Despite Him Not Playing After The 2021 T20I World Cup
Speaking to Fan Code before the start of the fifth and final T20I match between India and West Indies in Florida on Sunday, Ajay Jadeja picked his bowling attack which comprised three pacers and a spinner.
Notably, he picked Mohammed Shami, who did not play a single T20I match for India since the last World Cup, and dropped Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been the highest wicket-taker for India during the period.
“I have added Shami to the team. So for me, I select bowlers first. So Shami is a certainty. Bumrah, Arshdeep and Chahal. These are the four certainties. In batting, four are certainties for me – Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Deepak Hooda. For this bowling attack, you have powerplay, middle overs and death overs sorted. You can bowl them anywhere. Even for the batters, they are flexible,” Ajay Jadeja said.
Supergisly enough India pacer Mohammed Shami has not played a single T20I since the ICC T20I World Cup 2022 concluded. Mohammed Shami has been sidelined once again for Asia Cup 2022 even after an excellent display of bowling in the IPL 2022. Up till now in his career, he has played in 17 T20Is and has picked up 18 wickets at an economy of 9.54.
The veteran pacer has picked 20 scalps in 16 games in IPL 2022 averaging only 24.4 including 3/25 against fellow debutants Lucknow Supergiants. He was Gujarat Titans’ leading wicket-taker in IPL 2022.
Ajay Jadeja Remarked ‘Good Commentator’ Dinesh Karthik May Not Be Picked In India’s 2022 T20I World Cup Squad
India has changed their approach to batting in T20I cricket. From a conservative approach, India, under Rohit Sharma, has adopted an aggressive brand of cricket.
Pointing out India’s new batting strategy, Ajay Jadeja opined that if they maintain it then even former India captain Virat Kohli might be dropped from the side. However, he explained that if India goes the MS Dhoni way, the selectors will keep Virat Kohli and will then have to pick Dinesh Karthik in the XI as well.
“Now if you want to play the way I have heard them…aggressive then you have to pick differently. If Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma walks in, you need Dinesh Karthik at all cost. He is your insurance. But if you don’t have either of them then Dinesh Karthik has no work here.”
“But yes I would not put Karthik there, he can have a seat beside me. He is very good as a commentator. But there, in the team, I would not pick him. Now the decision is whether you want to play Ravindra or Axar. If it’s Dhoni style, then add Kohli, Rohit and Karthik. But in modern-day cricket, you have to leave out Karthik. Maybe even Kohli depends on whether he is in form or not.” Ajay Jadeja explained.
Dinesh Karthik, however, has been picked in India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 later this month with the selectors indicating that he remains in their plans for the T20 World Cup 2022.