T20 WC: Both Pant-Karthik can play together, Gavaskar suggests antidote idea

Mumbai: Legendary Sunil Gavaskar believes that both Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant can play in the playing XI if Hardik Pandya is selected by India as the fifth bowling option in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The Rohit Sharma-led side will start their campaign against Pakistan on Sunday. Team India has Pant and Karthik options as wicket-keeper batsman.

With the Indian team management contemplating on the team composition ahead of the match against Pakistan, the 73-year-old former batsman Gavaskar believes that both of them can find a place in the playing XI.

Gavaskar told Star Sports’ show Cricket Live, ‘If they decide to go with six bowlers and Hardik Pandya is the sixth bowler, then Pant may not get a place in the team, but if they choose Hadik Pandya as the fifth bowler Rishabh Pant will have a chance to bat at No.6 and Karthik can come at No.7 after which four bowlers will come. It can happen, but for that we will have to wait.

Gavaskar said, ‘They would definitely like to include a left-handed batsman in the team who is in such good form. Sometimes you may ask yourself, how many overs will Rishabh Pant get to play? Will he get to play three or four overs? Three or four overs, is Karthik or Rishabh the batsman? These are all circumstances they have to look into and decide.

Asia Cup 2023: Team India will go to Pakistan or not, who will decide? Know what Sports Minister Anurag Thakur saidInd vs Pak: India has once again kicked on the stomach, not only this, Jai Shah’s statement is tearing Pakistan’s chest