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Cricket Players'His numbers are perfect. It's rare for a wicketkeeper in T20s': Rashid Latif on Karthik vs Samson for IND XI vs Ireland
From battle for the opening slot in the T20I format, focus has shifted to the wicketkeeper's role for the 2022 T20 World Cup squad with India having as many as five options.
From battle for the opening slot in the T20I format, focus has shifted to the wicketkeeper's role for the 2022 T20 World Cup squad with India having as many as five options. Three of them found a place in the squad for the South Africa series and another combination of three were named for the Ireland tour. But who among them will make it to the XI for the two-match series which will take place later this month?
_1655615879466_1655615891967.jpg "Dinesh Karthik; Rashid Latif; Sanju Samson")
India picked Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik for the five-match home series against the Proteas. While Pant was the primary option for the wicketkeeping role, both Ishan and Karthik found their place in the XI during the contest with the latter performing better as batters.
Pant has been rested for the Ireland tour with the youngster set to join the India squad for the England tour. The selectors have replaced him with Sanju Samson while keeping Ishan and Karthik in the mix.
While Ishan is likely to resume his role as an opener, former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif discusses who among Karthik and Samson will find a place in the XI as the wicketkeeper-batter.
Speaking on YouTube channel Caught Behind, Rashid hailed Karthik for his impressive numbers down the order, which he feels is a rarity in T20 cricket among wicketkeepers. He hence backed the 36-year-old for the role.
“Wicketkeepers are performing really well in world cricket at the moment. Samson has been performing really well, but is a top-order batter. But when you look at lower middle order options, you have Dinesh Karthik. The numbers he has got are perfect to have him in playing XI. It's rare. And he showed it during his matches for RCB, batting with highest strike rate down the order. You will find very few wicketkeepers who can do that in T20s. Karthik will be the one I will pick for the XI,” he said.
Besides the aforementioned four, India also have a part-time option in KL Rahul, who has been left out of both the series owing to an injury.
