Rinku Singh paid no heed as Dinesh Karthik names India's future finishers to do the MS Dhoni role
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Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik feels that India will do exceptionally well in the future with two strong finishers. Dinesh Karthik has named Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag as the ones who can transform this team with their finishing abilities.
Both Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag are all-rounders but in separate categories. Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag will be in action in India's upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh beginning on October 6 at Gwalior.
Pandya and Parag have immense abilities and are likely to serve Team India in the future, especially in white-ball cricket. Both of them like playing aggressively and possess the ability to hit the ball hard from the first ball.
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Dinesh Karthik backs Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag to be India's finishers
While speaking on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik spoke about India's finishers and reckoned that Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag can fulfill India's need for two strong finishers. Dinesh Karthik mentioned that India will be a different team in the upcoming Champions Trophy and T20 World Cups with these two players in the team.
"For finishers, I have a lot of time for Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya. Pandya as a finisher is again someone very special. He has won games. Yes, he has batted for Gujarat Titans slightly up the order in between IPL, I did think he enjoyed that role a lot more. But I think he will be looked at as the finisher," Dinesh Karthik said.
"India will do well with two strong finishers. Bat speed is needed, Riyan Parag has pure muscle and a lot of skill in terms of hitting a ball. Add to the fact that they are proper all-rounders, India is going to be a different team here on in T20 World Cups and the Champions Trophy as well," he explained.
India's finishers in white-ball cricket
While Pandya is a fast bowling allrounder and a proven cricketer at the highest level, Parag is a spin bowling allrounder but is still finding his feet at the international level.
India will play a no. of white-ball tournaments in the upcoming years starting with the Champions Trophy next year in February-March. Both Hardik and Parag are in India's plans for the tournament and can prove to be India's X-factors.
Along with these two players, India is also looking up to Rinku Singh to be India's designated finisher in white-ball cricket. Rinku is a part of India's T20I team but has yet to cement his place in ODIs.
Riyan Parag's numbers in international cricket
Riyan Parag made his international debut in the T20Is against Zimbabwe after a stellar IPL season. His numbers in T20Is haven't been impressive so far. He has played 6 T20Is and scored 57 runs at an average of 14.25 and a strike rate of 111.76. With the ball, he has picked up 3 wickets at 22.33 and an economy rate of 6.48.
Parag also made his ODI debut in the last ODI on the Sri Lanka tour. He scored 15 runs in the match but was incredibly good with the ball as he finished with 3-54 in 9 overs.
Both Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag are likely to be a part of India's first-choice Playing XI in the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. If both of them can establish themselves, they can provide the team with the much-needed balance with their all-round capabilities.