Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar Monday said he is surprised at young glovesman Rishabh Pant’s exclusion from India’s World Cup squad given his “exceptionally” good batting form and “great” improvement in wicket-keeping skills.
The 33-year-old Dinesh Karthik pipped Pant in the fight forthe second wicketkeeper’s slot in India’s 15-strong squad for the World Cup,starting May 30 in England. Gavaskar said the move is surprising but backedKarthik as a better wicketkeeper.
“A bit surprised,looking at his (Pant’s) form. He was batting exceptionally well, not only inthe IPL but before that also. He was showing great improvement hiswicket-keeping as well. He brings that left-handed option in the top-six whichis very handy against the bowlers,” Gavaskar told ‘India Today’.
“The bowlers have to change their line (for a left-hander)and the captains have to do a lot of field arrangements. Pant has so far scored245 runs in the ongoing IPL, compared to Karthik’s 111.
Karthik was chosen over Pant despite an indifferent IPLcampaign with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Gavaskar said there was some merit inthe move.
“On a morning when say, MSD (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) has a fluand can’t play, you want somebody who is a better wicket-keeper. I think Karthik’swicket-keeping skills, more than anything, have won him this place,” Gavaskarsaid.
Gavaskar said Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar, who madeit to the squad for his “three-dimensional qualities”, will be a very usefulplayer for the team. “He is a cricketer who has improved over the last oneyear. He has grown in confidence. Shankar is a very useful cricketer. He is avery very good batsman, handy bowler, and an outstanding fielder,” the battinggreat explained.
Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra said Pant’s elevation tothe top tier of the central contracts had him believe that the youngster wouldmake India’s World Cup squad. “Wasn’t Pant elevated to the top tier of theCentral Contracts a few weeks back?? Not a certainty in two of the three formats,”Chopra wrote on his twitter page.
“India has picked Shankar as #4 option. Without reallyknowing if it’ll work. DK will play only when Dhoni isn’t available. And nofourth seamer. Interesting choices. Hope it works. Good luck.”
Former India medium-pacer R P Singh and star of India’s 2007World T20 triumph said he hoped that the decision to pick experience over youthworks in the team’s favour at the mega-event.
“Clearly they’ve chosen experience and patience in the formof Dinesh Karthik. Middle order will be very interesting to see klrahul, DineshKarthik could be at number 4. Rest seems sorted with Jadhav Kedar and MS Dhoniat number 5/6,” Singh tweeted.
Sanjay Manjrekar believes Vijay Shankar is lucky to make it in the squad.