Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris all but ruled out Dinesh Karthik’s chances of making it to the T20 World Cup 2024 squad, saying India have quite a few other options to choose from. Styris, who played for the Super Kings, said Karthik might miss out despite having been in fine form in IPL 2024, hinting that India will be keen on looking ahead in terms of their selection for the showpiece T20 tournament, starting June 1.
The senior selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, is all set to pick the T20 World Cup squad in the last week of April, and there are plenty of options to pick from. Karthik, who was juggling commentary and professional cricket, was not in the mix in the lead-up to IPL 2024 season, having played his last international T20 for India in November 2022. However, the 38-year-old wicketkeeper has put himself back in the mix, scoring 251 runs in 8 matches at a staggering strike rate of 196. Karthik struggled to get going in the IPL last year, scoring just 140 runs in 13 matches. However, the veteran seems to have turned it around this year while also revealing his ambitions to play the World Cup.
“We were asked in commentary about the wicketkeeping options. Who is in the frontline for that? The question was posed about Dinesh Karthik. I would say there’s a slightly above zero per cent chance that Dinesh Karthik goes. Not because of lack of ability or what he has been doing. But it’s just about the other options available,” Styris told JioCinema.
Styris pointed out that the competition among KL Rahul, Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant will be intense and the selectors will take a call, keeping in mind the role that they expect the glovemen to play in the XI.
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SAMSON vs RAHUL vs PANT?
The former New Zealand cricketer highlighted that both Samson and Rahul might be back-up options for the top-order while Pant will be picked for the middle order.
“Will it be KL Rahul? Simply because he can cover for the top 3 as well. Then you have Rishabh Pant, who looks to be back into the fold and covers that middle and lower order. He is a left-hander as well. So Sanju Samson is up against those three, the other two plus Dinesh Karthik. It depends on what role you want from Sanju Samson. Is he going to be the top 3 option instead of KL Rahul for Team India? Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will have to decide it,” he added.
Notably, Samson became the first wicketkeeper-batter to complete 300 runs in the IPL 2024 season during RR’s 8-wicket win over MI in Jaipur on Tuesday. Samson has 314 runs in 8 matches while kL Rahul, who seems to be striking at a better rate in LSG’s last 3 games, has scored 286 runs in 7 matches. Rishabh Pant, who is slowly but surely returning to form, has scored 254 runs in 8 matches.
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