T20 World Cup 2022: "It was not Dinesh Karthik's job" - Aakash Chopra on the choice between veteran keeper and Rishabh Pant

Aakash Chopra feels it would be unfair to Dinesh Karthik if Rishabh Pant plays ahead of him because of the veteran wicketkeeper-batter's indifferent performance against South Africa.

India will face England in the second semi-final of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10. Cricket experts are divided on the choice between the two keepers, with both failing to utilize their chances in the tournament thus far.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Karthik's failure against South Africa seems to have opened the door for Pant. He observed:

"The Indian team had a view for a long time that they want to keep Dinesh Karthik as a finisher. The confidence went down because he got to bat slightly early in the South Africa match. We are saying that he didn't score runs there, so let us play Rishabh Pant instead of him. But it was not Dinesh Karthik's job."

The former India cricketer opined it would be wrong to judge the Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter based on a job he was not meant to do. He explained:

"Against South Africa, he was not the only guy who failed. Even Deepak Hooda played in that game, there was a lot of depth in batting but everyone failed barring Surya. It will be wrong to judge a fish on how it climbs a tree. You will feel that the fish is a failure, it cannot do anything, but that is not right."

Karthik managed just six runs off 15 deliveries after walking out to bat in the ninth over in India's loss to South Africa. Suryakumar Yadav, who smoked 68 runs off 40 balls, was the only Indian batter to score more than 15 runs in that game.

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"My original choice was also Rishabh Pant" - Aakash Chopra

Rishabh Pant was tried as an opener ahead of the T20 World Cup.

While acknowledging that Pant was his original choice as a keeper-batter, Chopra highlighted that the southpaw was not made to bat in the middle order ahead of the global event. He said:

"My original choice was also Rishabh Pant, but you didn't play him till now, you didn't play him in the Asia Cup as well. When you play him, you don't get him to bat at No. 4 or No. 5. If you play him here, if he comes at No. 5, then Hardik will go at No. 6."

The renowned commentator pointed out that Pant's inclusion might force the Men in Blue to change their batting order. He elaborated:

"Will you like Hardik going at No. 6? Does he have that kind of form where you will want him to play at No. 6 and Rishabh can come at No. 5 because Adil Rashid will come in front of Rishabh? If there is Adil Rashid here, Shadab and Nawaz were there in the first match."

However, Chopra feels that the Indian team will play Pant ahead of Karthik. He added that where the youngster would bat in such a scenario is anybody's guess.