T20 World Cup 2022: Kapil Dev wants Rishabh Pant in place of Dinesh Karthik

Rishabh Pant has been warming the bench so far in the WC [Source: Twitter]

Coming off of a phenomenal IPL season Dinesh Karthik was given a place in the Indian squad and rightly so. Although both Rishabh Pant and DK are worthy players in their own right, debates have been raised about if Pant should come in, in place of Karthik. 

Questions were raised against Karthik's place after he couldn't perform against Pakistan and made a few wicketkeeping errors in India's game against Netherlands. 

Former Indian legend Kapil Dev has shared his thoughts about the same. He has openly expressed his support for Pant. 

What Kapil Dev said

"I want to say that since we have Rishabh Pant, now is the time India need him. It felt as if Dinesh Karthik would get the job done, but factoring in the wicketkeeping as well, I feel that if India have that left-hander option in the team, this team would look complete."

The former Indian skipper also opined about KL Rahul and if he deserves a spot in the team considering that the opener still hasn't shelled out runs for India. 

"He is a very neat cricketer. If you look at his batting, he doesn't appear to be struggling. He gets out and has in fact, played on twice or thrice. I want him to score runs because it is really important for him to score. Some players are told not to play fast. He can take time initially because he can easily accelerate as and when needed. I want him to play patiently, play the first 8-10 overs, and then when he gets an idea what total is best on the pitch, then go for it,"

India are all set to face South Africa in a high-octane match today. It is of the utmost importance for India to win the match in order to book a spot in the semis. After the Proteas, India will meet Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. 

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2022: Zimbabwe optimistic about making it to the semis