Why Playing Dinesh Karthik Ahead Of Kedar Jadhav Is A Wiser Choice For India

The middle-order has been the achilles heel for Team India for quite some time now and the struggle in the ongoing World Cup has further highlighted that problem. Team India are comfortably placed at the second position in the points table. However, a closer look at India’s performance will more or less make it clear that the middle-order has not really delivered as per expectations.

With India’s top-order and bowlers being in good form at the moment, the team has managed to cross the line on most of the occasions. However, the defeat against England and the narrow win against Afghanistan have highlighted the problem within the team. With the road ahead only going to get tougher, India need to take a bold decision at the earliest. One of those calls can be dropping Kedar Jadhav to make room for Dinesh Karthik.

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Jadhav is predominantly in the team because of his ability to bowl in the middle overs. While the right-hander is mainly a middle-order batsman, it is his bowling that has helped him retain his place in the playing eleven. However, Jadhav has bowled only 6 overs so far without picking up any wicket. In fact, Kohli has handed the ball to him in only three games. It makes it very clear that the team does not rely him much for the breakthroughs in the middle overs.

In such a situation, picking Dinesh Karthik ahead of him seems to be the wiser choice. Jadhav’s struggles to score fast runs in the competition is fast becoming the weak link for the team. And with the tournament now entering its most important phase, it is high time the team should try out Dinesh Karthik.

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Karthik, who was being groomed as a finisher by India in the last one year or so, was a surprising omission from the team for the series against Australia. But he was later named in the World Cup squad and is yet to play a game in the competition. Karthik is one of the best finishers in the country right now.

Since the 2017 Champions Trophy, Karthik has scored 425 runs in 20 matches at an average of over 47.   He also impressed with his finishing abilities during the tour of Australia and New Zealand. He played a key role in two wins by scoring two unbeaten innings of 25 and 38 in Australia and New Zealand respectively. He had also scored an impressive unbeaten 33 in the last T20I against New Zealand but India lost the game.

Moreover, Karthik has ample experience of playing in England. Thus with India in search of a good finisher at the moment, Karthik seems to be the right man for that job.