While selecting Rishabh Pant for the upcoming home limited overs series against Australia, MSK Prasad didn't at all rule out Dinesh Karthik's chances of making India's squad for this year's ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. 

But ever since there have been widespread speculations on who will be country's second wicketkeeper behind the great Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the 10-team marquee ODI event starting May 30. 

In wake of which, the chairman of the national selection committee has again clarified that a final call on the back-up wicketkeeper's slot will be made only after the five-match ODI series against Australia. 

"It's definitely a healthy debate that's going on. We know Dinesh Karthik has been doing really well in the finisher's role," Prasad was quoted saying during an interview with Hotstar, "At the same time, Rishabh Pant's escalation has been very fast. He is showing a lot of maturity."

"Both of them are equally good but what is good for the team is going to help us take a call at the appropriate time."

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar, though, thinks differently. He believes that both Pant and Dinesh can be part of India's World Cup plans as specialist batsmen. 

"There should be flexibility in the team. Dinesh Karthik has opened in Test matches in the past so he can do it in ODIs too," he told India Today. 

But former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar disagrees to Gavaskar's line of thought. For him, Karthik's ODI career has been brought to its inevitable end by the selectors. 

"His fans will feel sorry because, with the opportunity he has got, he has done as well as he could," Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo, "But I feel with this selection or non-selection of Karthik, India have told everyone that we look at Karthik as a T20 batsman, and his 50-over future is over as far as we are concerned."