Former Indian cricketer Reetinder Sodhi believes that the time has come for Team India to back veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik as their first-choice wicketkeeper over Rishabh Pant. They suffered a disappointing exit from the 2022 Asia Cup and lacked the finishing touch in their Super 4 matches as well against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. And, Rishabh Pant got more opportunities than Karthik, but the former failed to make any impression. And, Sodhi feels it will be unfair on him if the team benches him against Australia as well.

Speaking to India News Sports, Sodhi said: “Before the Asia Cup, it was always Rishabh Pant for me. But now I feel the team needs to back Dinesh Karthik. Pant has the ability to hit sixes at will, but he has been given enough chances to perform under pressure in white-ball cricket and he hasn’t been consistent.”Dinesh Karthik has performed well in some games where you thought we had no chance. So it will only be fair for the management to give him all three games against Australia and test his credentials.”

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The former all-rounder also said how the move to send Pant against the left-arm spinners didn’t work in the Asia cup as well. He has a pretty poor record against left-arm spinners and Sodhi was surprised by the strategy.

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“Left-handers can counter the left-arm spinners. But when will Pant do that? We are playing him to counter but he hasn’t been able to do so. Dinesh Karthik, on the other hand, has a variety of shots and can dominate the bowlers. So I don’t see Pant in India’s playing XI against Australia,” Reetinder Sodhi concluded.