‘Certainly want a left-hander in the middle’ - Sunil Gavaskar predicts India’s playing combination for Pakistan clash

With just a day to go for the India-Pakistan encounter at the T20 World Cup 2022, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has highlighted a few areas that might need some addressing for the Men in Blue. One of those has been the debate over Rishabh Pant AND Dinesh Karthik for the wicketkeeper slot as both are quality options without a doubt.

However, Karthik has been given the nod so far in the warm-up games in Australia and also in the home series against Australia and South Africa. The veteran batter has managed to finish of the innings from time to time and is seen as a specialist for the role while Pant is considered as the future of the side with the X-factor he brings in. 

With no Ravindra Jadeja available for the T20 World Cup 2022, India doesn’t have a left-handed batter in the top five, which has been a talking point among the experts.  

They would certainly want a left-hander in the middle: Sunil Gavaskar 

Gavaskar feels that if India needs the sixth bowling option as Hardik Pandya, then Pant will definitely not feature in the playing XI. He further noted that Pant might be played at number six if Pandya is utilised as the fifth bowler and reckoned that ideally, a left-hander would be a good option to have. The former opener wondered how many overs would Rishabh Pant bat if he comes at six with the kind of form the top-four has been in. 

“It's just that maybe, if they decide to go with six bowlers, with Hardik Pandya being the sixth bowler, then he (Pant) may not be able to find a place,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Live'. "But if they decide to go with Hardik Pandya as the fifth bowler, then Rishabh Pant has an opportunity to bat at number six and Karthik maybe at number seven, followed by the four bowlers. So, that could well happen. We just have to wait and see.” 

"They would certainly want a left-hander in the middle, but looking at the top four, who are in such good form, you sometimes say to yourself, 'How many overs is Rishabh Pant going to get in? Is he going to get three or four overs? And for three or four overs, is Karthik or Rishabh better? So, these are all the situations they will look at and they'll take a call on this," he added.