"We will then move Rishabh Pant in his shadow - is that correct?" - Irfan Pathan on Dinesh Karthik's place in India's T20 World Cup squad

Irfan Pathan has opined that Dinesh Karthik shouldn't be picked in India's T20 World Cup squad based on his scintillating performances in IPL 2024. He noted that the likes of Rishabh Pant will move in his shadow in such a scenario.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) set the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) a mammoth 288-run target in an IPL 2024 clash in Bengaluru on Monday, April 15. Although Karthik smoked a 35-ball 83, RCB eventually lost the game by 25 runs.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Pathan wasn't in favor of Ambati Rayudu's call to pick Karthik in India's T20 World Cup squad.

"Indian cricket needs to look forward. You (Rayudu) spoke about Dinesh Karthik playing in MS Dhoni's shadow. Now you want him to be picked because MS Dhoni isn't playing. We will then move Rishabh Pant in his shadow - is that correct? I would have said it's okay if Rishabh Pant hadn't been in form," he reasoned.

"However, here I feel Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma, who was playing recently, are ahead of Dinesh Karthik. If you sideline a current player who has been in the regular scheme of things just because some other guy is performing, it will be an injustice to the player," the former India all-rounder added.

Pant is potentially competing with Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan for the wicketkeeper-batter's position in India's T20 World Cup squad. Karthik could also become a contender if he continues to fire for RCB in IPL 2024.

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"The World Cup is played at a different level" - Irfan Pathan on Dinesh Karthik excelling in IPL 2024

Dinesh Karthik has smashed 226 runs at a strike rate of 205.45 in six innings in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]

While acknowledging that Dinesh Karthik has stood out for RCB in IPL 2024, Irfan Pathan noted that the T20 World Cup presents a much bigger challenge.

"You will have to praise Dinesh Karthik here because of the way he is batting. He is looking in proper rhythm. He is hitting a six with a switch hit off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling. So he has time and is showing great form. However, the World Cup is played at a different level," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the veteran wicketkeeper-batter would face more experienced bowlers in the global event and that he was given such an opportunity earlier.

"Uncapped players don't bowl to you in a World Cup. You don't have the Impact Rule as well in the World Cup. Only 11 players are there, 12 players are not there, so your batting becomes shorter. Playing under that pressure is different," Pathan stated.

"You will get four or five experienced bowlers there. There is a huge difference between experienced and inexperienced bowlers. Every IPL team has an inexperienced bowler whom you can target as a batter. You don't get that in the World Cup, and it's not that he hasn't been given opportunities in a World Cup," he observed.

Karthik was part of India's squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup. He managed only 14 runs in three innings at a dismal average of 4.67 and was replaced by Rishabh Pant for the Men in Blue's final two games.