“Do India really know what their best team is?” - Ashley Giles on frequent changes in T20I playing XI 

Former England left-arm spinner Ashley Giles has made an interesting observation with regard to Team India’s ploy of constantly altering their playing XI in T20Is in the build-up to the World Cup. According to him, the Men in Blue still seem to be figuring out their best team for the upcoming ICC event.

Having won the three-match T20 series against England with a game in hand, India made four changes to their playing XI for the dead rubber on Sunday. The experiment saw the visitors losing the match in Nottingham by 17 runs.

Speaking after Team India’s loss, Giles opined that the inaugural T20 World Cup winners still have a few areas to work on heading into this year’s event. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, he elaborated:

“Do India really know what their best team is right now? DK (Dinesh Karthik) has played some very good cricket but there are a lot of good players to fit into that team. (Deepak) Hooda looks like someone who could be really destructive in the top order and Rishabh Pant could do a very good job down the backend.”

Giles further opined that India must shun the experiment with Pant at the top of the order as KL Rahul will open with Rohit Sharma once he is back. The former England cricketer stated:

“I do think there are some things to work out around this keeping position - whether Pant bats at the top or the middle. We have seen DK bat in this game. It’s very difficult when you go in at the end. But it’s neither here nor there."

He added:

"If KL Rahul is going to come back at the top of the order, I am not sure of the point of continuing with this. It’s better to let Pant bat in the middle and end and let him get the experience there for that World Cup.”

While Pant scored 26 and one in two T20I matches against England, Karthik registered scores of 11, 12 and six in three games.

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“Whenever Karthik has got to play more balls, he has looked confused” - Piyush Chawla on Indian keeper-batter

Following his recall into the Indian T20I team, Karthik has been given the specific role of finisher. The think tank has made a conscious effort not to send him in before the last four or five overs.

According to Indian spinner Piyush Chawla, the veteran keeper-batter has looked out of place when he has had more balls to face. He said:

“Whenever Dinesh Karthik has got to play more balls, other than the South Africa series, he has looked a bit confused. He’s somebody, when you give him those four to five overs and tell him to be yourself and play freely, he’s a dangerous player.”

The 37-year-old is back in Indian colors after three years following a stupendous IPL 2022 season, during which he scored 330 runs at a strike rate of 183.33.

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