Indian veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik feels that Indian team management will have two crucial areas to address in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 to find answers for the all-important ODI World Cup. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be one of the favourites to win the continental event alongside Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
India is attempting to win its third World Cup and second on home soil but the team has a few issues to address going into the mega event as they will sweating out on the match fitness of Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Prasidh Krishna. The Men in Blue will play its first match on October 8 against Australia at Chennai.
Speaking at a Cricket World Cup event, Dinesh Karthik said that the Indian team management will have a task to cut out to select their fourth pacer in the team for the World Cup and asserted that they need to choose between Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, and Umran Malik for that spot in the team.
“There are two areas (India must identify at the Asia Cup). We have Jasprit (Bumrah), we have (Mohammad) Shami and we have (Mohammad) Siraj. We are sure about all of these three, but who is going to be the fourth?”
“Is it going to be Shardul Thakur? Is it going to be Prasidh Krishna? Mukesh Kumar? Or are you going to go for the pace of Umran Malik?” Dinesh Karthik said.
with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Mohammed Siraj sealing their place in the 15-men squad for the World Cup, Rohit Sharma-led side would look to test Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna in the Asia Cup 2023 to finalize the squad for the mega event in October-November.
So Who Is The Back-up Batter? That Is The Next Question – Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik raised concern about the lack of left-hander in the team, With Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav seen as backup options in the team for Shreyas Iyer, and believes that Men in Blue needs to address these things in the continental event in Sri Lanka.
“Do we need a left-hander? Do we look at Tilak Varma or is Suryakumar (Yadav) that option as he plays all the sweeps that are available in the game, makes it hard for spinners, and is a very good player of spin as well,” Dinesh Karthik added.
“So who is the backup batter? That is the next question. These are the two areas for me and I think these are the two big things India must be answering during this Asia Cup,” Dinesh Karthik further added.
Both Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma have found their place in India’s 17-men squad for the Asia Cup with Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul returning to the team after a long-standing injury and the team management would be looking to finalize their 15-men squad for the ODI World Cup, which is expected to be announced before September 5.