India’s playing XI in the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 against England should feature Rishabh Pant instead of seasoned wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, according to the team’s former head coach Ravi Shastri.
Despite Karthik being handed the job of the designated finisher in the side’s first four games, Pant had his first outing in the tournament on Sunday (November 06) against Zimbabwe. However, he only stayed in the middle for 5 deliveries in which he scored 3 runs.
Shastri believes that the southpaw will be able to take advantage of the shorter square boundaries at the Adelaide Oval, the venue for India's semi-final clash against England.
“Dinesh (Karthik) is a lovely team player. But when it comes to a game against England or New Zealand, just seeing their attack, I think you need a robust left-hander, who can turn it on and a match-winner and a left-hander,” he told Star Sports after India thrashed Zimbabwe by 71 runs in their Super 12 game.
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“He has done well against England. He recently won a match on his win against England, a one-day game. I would go with Pant, not just because he played here, but because of the X-factor angle, he can bring to the semi-final.”
“You are playing in Adelaide, short boundaries square, another reason why a left-hander should be there to disrupt the England attack. If you have too many right-handers, there is a sense of sameness to it. England has a nice attack, a varied attack of left-handers and right-handers,” he added.
The former cricketer claimed that if the Men in Blue find themselves in a vulnerable situation, the 25-year-old can launch a counterattack against any opposition.
“You need a left-hander in your team, who can be dangerous and win you a game in the back overs even if you have lost 3 or 4 wickets at the top,” Shastri concluded.
The first semi-final will be played between Pakistan and New Zealand on Wednesday (November 09) at the SCG.
The second semi-final will feature Rohit Sharma and his men taking on England in Adelaide on Thursday (November 10).
(PTI INPUTS)
