India and Australia are all set to take on each other in the 1st T20I in Mohali. The men in blue will head into the match with one of the biggest selection headaches in a while.
Rishabh Pant vs Dinesh Karthik
It's ironic how Jadeja's injury ousted Dinesh Karthik from the playing 11, with whom the team went in their opener against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
The team's requirement for a left-hander in the middle order might shift the scales in favour of Rishabh Pant. There is a general consensus going around as to how Karthik hasn't done anything to warrant his absence from the playing 11, but looking at the numbers, the story is a bit different.
No, Rishabh Pant isn't better, but Dinesh Karthik too hasn't done the kind of work to guarantee his place in the eleven. Here is how both of them have fared in their last 10 T20 innings.
Dinesh Karthik's Last 10 T20 innings
Dinesh Karthik | File Photo
- Super Four Match 5 Vs AFG: 0 (0)
- Match 4 Vs HK: 0 (0)
- Match 2 Vs PAK: 1 (1)
- 5th T20I Vs WI: 12 (9)
- 4th T20I Vs WI: 6 (9)
- 3rd T20I Vs WI: 0 (0)
- 2nd T20I Vs WI: 7 (13)
- 1st T20I Vs WI: 41 (19)
- 3rd T20I Vs ENG: 6 (7)
- 2nd T20I Vs ENG: 12 (17)
Rishabh Pant's Last 10 T20 innings
Rishabh Pant | File Photo
- Super Four Match 5 Vs AFG: 20 (16)
- Super Four Match 3 Vs SL: 17 (13)
- Super Four Match 2 Vs PAK: 14 (12)
- Match 4 Vs HKO: 0 (0)
- 4th T20I Vs WI: 44 (31)
- 3rd T20I Vs WI: 33 (26)
- 2nd T20I Vs WI: 24 (12)
- 1st T20I Vs WI: 14 (12)
- 3rd T20I Vs ENG: 1 (5)
- 2nd T20I Vs ENG: 26 (15)
Do we have a winner?
Perhaps not. There may be an argument in Dinesh Karthik's favour that he has played a lot lesser deliveries than Rishabh Pant, but that is his role, and one has got to judge based on that. Apart from his 41 (19) in the 1st T20 vs West Indies, Karthik hasn't played any impact innings for the team.
Coming to Rishabh Pant, apart from his mediocre show against England in the 3 T20Is, where he made 44 (31), 33 (26) and 24 (12), Pant has had a hard time making any kind of impact in the shortest format of the game.
The fact that both batters play a completely different role isn't going to help the selection either. Karthik is an out-and-out finisher while Rishabh Pant is often used as a floater in the middle order. Looking at the numbers, there isn't a winner here.
Amidst all this, was Sanju Samson unfortunate to miss out?
Also Read: EXCLUSIVE | Sanju Samson, Mohammed Shami big miss in T20 World Cup squad: Legendary Chandu Borde
