Virat Kohli backs Dinesh Karthik’s World Cup selection over Rishabh Pant

[SecondSlip]

Quote

 

With Dinesh Karthik’s inclusion in India’s 15-man World Cup squad as the backup wicketkeeper option ahead of Rishabh Pant drew a lot of flak from critics and fans. Many found the decision unfair as it undermines the talent of the 21-year-old from Roorkee. Having made his debut for India in 2004, Karthik lost his place to the then newcomer MS Dhoni. MS and Karthik are incidentally the two most successful wicketkeepers in the Indian Premier League with 132 and 131 dismissals, respectively.

 

Having played 91 ODIs for India, Karthik has hardly been a regular in the team but at the age 33, he’s now got his golden opportunity. While the veteran wicketkeeper Dhoniremains the first choice for behind the stump duties in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup that is to be held in England and Wales, Karthik was chosen as the backup option if anything happens to Dhoni.
 

While the chief selector MSK Prasad has been vocal about the reasons why Karthik was selected, skipper Virat Kohli said that the 33-year-old batsman’s experience and ability to deliver under pressure earned him the spot. If we compare the exploits of Karthik and Pant in the recently concluded IPL, the youngster definitely overhauls the KKR captain. But as Kohli attested ahead of the T20 league would not impact the World Cup selection.
 

“In pressure situations, he’s[Dinesh Karthik] shown composure,” Kohli was quoted as saying by the TOI. “It was something that everybody on board was convinced about. He has the experience. If god forbid, something happens to MS [Dhoni], Karthik can be immensely valuable behind the wickets. As a finisher, he’s done well. So, it was the overall exposure to a tournament of this magnitude that was taken into primary consideration.”

Head coach Ravi Shastri also commented on the matter saying that when there’s a limit of just 15 players, some talented ones will always miss out but their value won’t be undermined. “We can very well imagine there’s more than an opinion in place that some capable guys have missed out. Heart goes out to them,” Shastri told CricketNext.

 

https://www.crictracker.com/virat-kohli-backs-dinesh-karthiks-world-cup-selection-over-rishabh-pant/

 

[vvvslaxman]

DK has a near flawless game. But his temperament is a big question mark. Pant for all his hoicking in the IPL, he gets worked over in the internationals.

 

In the matches that Pant and DK played together (T20 and ODI)

 

Pant

13 innings 228 runs  average 19 Strike rate 118.75

Karthik

11 innings 193 runs average 48.25 strike rate 148.46

 

Several match winning cameos.

 

Pant mostly had a chance to bat ahead of KKD in most of the matches like this one

 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/11124/scorecard/1098211/west-indies-vs-india-only-t20i-wi-v-ind-2017

 

Edited May 15, 2019 by vvvslaxman

[zen]

Karthik is good but Pant is better. Pant.can be played as a batsman too as he is one of the two best power hitters in the country and an impact player who can win games on his own. He is constantly improving too.  Ind will miss the double impact of Pandya-Pant combination! 

[putrevus]

Didn't this moron Kohli say the same thing about Rayudu.This guy should not be allowed to be part of selections.

[vvvslaxman]

2 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Didn't this moron Kohli say the same thing about Rayudu.This guy should not be allowed to be part of selections.

Agree he didn't have to provide justifications. But he has come out on the record saying he played the role in not considering Pant. 

[Ankit_sharma03]

1 hour ago, SecondSlip said:

If god forbid, something happens to MS [Dhoni], Karthik can be immensely valuable behind the wickets.

correction as proxy captain 

[vvvslaxman]

3 minutes ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

correction as proxy captain 

Chanakya will assume the proxy captain role @maniac

 

[The Dark Horse]

1 hour ago, vvvslaxman said:

In the matches that Pant and DK played together (T20 and ODI)

 

Pant

13 innings 228 runs  average 19 Strike rate 118.75

Karthik

11 innings 193 runs average 48.25 strike rate 148.46

 

Several match winning cameos.

 

Good luck convincing ICF..

[mishra]

Pant! any day over Karthik.

[Sonix768]

I dont have any problems with DK but the thing is better alternatives are available. If the squad length is 17, and Pant and a 4th pacer been included I guess no one would have complained, as he is marginally better than the Rayudus and Axars. 

[rkt.india]

Right decision.  You dont take rookies to big tourneys.  had he played 40-50 games doing half decent, it was a no brainer.

Edited May 16, 2019 by rkt.india

[vvvslaxman]

2 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

Right decision.  You dont take rookies to big tourneys.  had played played 40-50 games doing half decent, it was a no brainer.

Yes Pant has to develop middle gears. Either too slow or like a bullet train. He can play only in place of Dhoni right now. You could kinda consider his wicket as a bonus and let him play freely. Not good enough to be considered as a specialist batsman.

[ShoonyaSifar]

Shastri - started out as a 18 yr old, promoted by then captain Gavaskar

Kohli - Again started out as a 18 year old

Dhoni - Played his first WC 25 months after his ODI debut

 

How I wish all these jokers like Kohli and Dhoni, who now justify 'experience' over youth, had similar leaders reposing faith only in experienced players. None of them would be where they are today if that had happened.

 

These idiots are hell bent on taking the team backwards, all because they want to keep Dhoni's position protected.

[Ankit_sharma03]

1 hour ago, ShoonyaSifar said:

Kohli - Again started out as a 18 year old

Dhoni - Played his first WC 25 months after his ODI debut

Check kohli n dhoni perfomance a year before WC, they made truck loads of runs and won their team many games

 

Age n exp are diff thing. Sachin , ganguly, dravid were almost same age but when ganguly n dravid debut sachin was 7-8 yr senior n experienced 

 

[Sgattick10]

"If god forbid, something happens to MS [Dhoni], Karthik can be immenselyvaluable behind the wickets." 

 

 

[ShoonyaSifar]

1 hour ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

Check kohli n dhoni perfomance a year before WC, they made truck loads of runs and won their team many games

 

Age n exp are diff thing. Sachin , ganguly, dravid were almost same age but when ganguly n dravid debut sachin was 7-8 yr senior n experienced 

 

That was because their captains then had the vision and foresight to give them plenty of opportunities to succeed and be ready for the big tournament. Imagine if they were asked to play 5-6 matches before the WC in an alien role, Dhoni as a specialist batsman and Kohli to prove his credentials as an all rounder, and then judged on that performance.

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

5 minutes ago, ShoonyaSifar said:

That was because their captains then had the vision and foresight to give them plenty of opportunities to succeed and be ready for the big tournament. Imagine if they were asked to play 5-6 matches before the WC in an alien role, Dhoni as a specialist batsman and Kohli to prove his credentials as an all rounder, and then judged on that performance.

 

no denying that is where kohli has failed and he will bear its consequence to but todays reality is due to that pant is not in same space as kohli n dhoni was then. I really want them to take pant but expectation from him shudnt be high 

[Real McCoy]

Kohli is here talking about reserve keeper but nobody is talking about Pant purely as a batsman. If the conditions are like what we saw recently in Eng, Pant may merit a place in the squad as a reserve opener or lower order batsmen

[vvvslaxman]

1 hour ago, Real McCoy said:

Kohli is here talking about reserve keeper but nobody is talking about Pant purely as a batsman. If the conditions are like what we saw recently in Eng, Pant may merit a place in the squad as a reserve opener or lower order batsmen

yes. Reserve keeper. But he cannot replace KL Rahul as a pure batsman.

[rkt.india]

5 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

yes. Reserve keeper. But he cannot replace KL Rahul as a pure batsman.

he can but only thing that stops him is his fielding.