India will be silly not to pick Dinesh Karthik in World Cup squad: Jacques Kallis

Dinesh Karthik missed out on India’s last international series ahead of the ICC World Cup 2019 as the younger Rishabh Pant was picked ahead of him. However, the latter could not grab the opportunity and the race is now wide open again as far as the back-up keepers’ slot in the Indian squad for the mega event is concerned. The Indian selectors are set to name the squad on April 15 and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Jacques Kallis feels Karthik should get the nod.

Kallis, a former KKR player, has said that Karthik will be crucial for India’s chances at the WC kicking off next month and specifically emphasised on the experience and temperament that he brings with him. The legendary former South African all-rounder also felt that India have the firepower to win their third world title this year.

“India will be silly not to pick Dinesh Kartik in the World Cup team. He has the experience and the temperament and will be critical to India’s chances. He should be looked at as the number 4 option. 2019 will be the most open World Cup of all and India certainly has the team to win it and are the favourites going into the tournament,” Kallis was quoted as saying by India Today.

Karthik hasn’t produced anything magical with the bat in IPL 12 so far

Dinesh Karthik, 33, though hasn’t produced anything magical in the ongoing IPL, unlike last year when he took over as the KKR captain. In six games so far, he has scored 91 runs at an average of 22.75 with one fifty. However, KKR’s batting this season has remained clouded by one giant called Andre Russell.

But Karthik, who will complete 15 years in international cricket this November, has done well for India in limited overs format of late. Since 2017, the wicket-keeper-batsman has scored 425 runs in 20 matches at an average of over 46. He has also made a name in playing good knocks in the death overs and that could be handy in the lower middle order for India if MS Dhoni is pushed up the order.

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