MSK Prasad, chief of India’s selection panel, has hinted that Dinesh Karthik is still in the scheme of things despite being dropped from the ODI squad for the upcoming series against West Indies.
The recent turn of events has surely put a huge question mark over Dinesh Karthik’s future in the Indian team. With just a handful of games left before the next World Cup, the selectors’ decision to drop Karthik and pick Rishabh Pant pretty much indicates that they are now thinking to try out the youngster.
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Pant has been very impressive this year. After starring for Delhi Daredevils and impressing for India A, he earned his Test call-up and has impressed so far. He scored a stunning century in England before scoring a 84-ball 92 against West Indies.
Pant’s meteoric rise has coincided with Karthik’s inconsistent displays. Not surprisingly, the latest setback has raised a serious doubt over the senior pro’s future.
However, chairman of selectors MSK Prasad dropped a major hint that Karthik might just be in India’s scheme of things.
“It is no brainer who is our No. 1 wicketkeeper. In search of second wicketkeeper, we have given opportunities to DK and right now we are giving an opportunity to Rishabh Pant. At an appropriate time, we will take a call as to who is the best among the two,” Prasad said on Thursday.
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Well, while there are no questions over Pant’s selection given his performance this year, Karthik’s omission is really a tough one. The right-handed batsman had done decently in India’s triumphant Asia Cup-campaign. He had played all six matches in the Asia Cup and scored 146 runs at an average of 48.66. Since returning to the ODI side after a three-year gap in July last year, Karthik has scored 350 runs in 13 innings at an average of 50 and strike rate of 71.57.
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In the bowling department, Mohammed Shami made a comeback to the team in place of Siddharth Kaul. Speaking on Shami’s inclusion, Prasad said:
“I have been telling this for a quite some time that we are just 18 ODIs away from now before we play first game of the World Cup and so we need to figure out our fast bowlers and so we have picked Shami.”
The ODI series will get underway from October 21.