'Leader of the pack': Dinesh Karthik names his picks for top three players to watch out for at T20 World Cup
But Karthik believes that Pandya is a character who is always up for a fight, and hence, he would be one of the key players at the T20 World Cup.
India cricketer Dinesh Karthik believes Hardik Pandya will be one of the three players who will play a huge impact at the T20 World Cup. The India allrounder has struggled with form with the bat over the past few months, and since having a back surgery in 2019, he has also not been used a regular bowling option by India.
But Karthik believes that Pandya is a character who is always up for a fight, and hence, he would be one of the key players at the T20 World Cup.
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During an interview with Sky Sports broadcaster Isa Guha and former West Indies skipper Daren Sammy, Karthik was asked to name his pick of three players to watch out for at the World Cup T20.
“For me, Nicholas Pooran is someone who is special. When he finishes his career, he’ll be one of the T20 greats because o the way he bats. There’s something called bat swing, and he has probably got the best bat swing cricket. He could hit a cricket ball farther than most have ever done. He is a very, very important player if West Indies want to move forward in the tournament,” Karthik said.
“Mitchell Starc, if he comes, good for Australia. He’d be bowling those important overs for Australia upfront at the death. He has not been going too well, of late. But in the last series against West Indies, especially in the ODI format, he’s found his rhythm back. He has got the ball to come back in, and he has got people [out] with sheer pace. I am hoping that he holds onto that. Because if Australia has to do any damage in this tournament, he is going to be a key player,” he added.
“When you want to win big tournaments, you need characters, people who are up for a fight. For India, that [character] is Hardik Pandya for me. He is there with the ball, he is there with the bat, and he plays a critical role with the bat because every time India has floundered a little bit or want to up their run-rate, he is the guy. He can hit most bowlers to most parts of the ground… one of the reasons I really enjoy him. Even [with] his bowling, he is very clever; he is gone on to become the leader of the pack. You can see him talking to the other bowlers,” he signed off.