India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has backed Harshal Patel to replace Mohammed Siraj for the second T20I of the ongoing three-match T20I series against New Zealand to be played on Thursday (November 19) at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.
Siraj wasn’t seen impressive with the ball, leaking 39 runs in his 4 overs while picking up the wicket of Rachin Ravindra, however, India managed to restrict New Zealand to 164/6, thanks to R Ashwin (2/23) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/24) on Wednesday in Jaipur.
Chasing 165 for victory, Suryakumar Yadav (62) and Rohit Sharma (48) powered Team India to a 5-wicket win over the Black Caps to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing T20I series.
Ahead of the second T20I in Ranchi, Karthik has pointed that both Harshal and Avesh Khan are bowling at the best of their careers so far and Rohit Sharma can blindly pick one of them, but he would like to go with the Haryana pacer considering the slow wicket in Ranchi.
Karthik told Cricbuzz: “Both of them are bowling at the best of their careers so far... So you can blindly play any one of them. I personally feel Harshal Patel will be better because obviously, you know, the change of pace in Ranchi [which is a] slightly slow wicket.”
He continued, “Avesh Khan is very good with slower ones as well but Harshal Patel is bowling with such good rhythm that you want to give him the opportunity and see what he brings to the table. But another way you look at it is - you have somebody who bowls 135 in Deepak Chahar and Bhuvi. If you want someone with more pace then the option is Avesh Khan. It's a good headache to have.”
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja also backed Harshal to play in place of Siraj bowled in the second T20I against New Zealand in Ranchi on Thursday.
Jadeja told Cricbuzz: “The way Siraj was used, probably Harshal Patel because he bowled one in the powerplay and two right at the end... what he has done in the IPL, the reason why he's been picked in the side - his strength is that when the game is moving at a different pace and the batsman is trying to dominate that's when his slower one becomes more useful.”
He signed off by saying, “If you have to use him the same way and the others around then Harshal is the one I'll probably go with.”
