Dinesh Karthik vs Rishabh Pant: IND vs SA to decide wicketkeeper for T20 WC?

For an entire generation growing up, MS Dhoni commanded India’s wicketkeeping slot in all formats with sheer tenacity and grace. His aura behind the stumps, as well as in front of it, is still echoed across a multitude of this sports’ fanatic fandom, both inwards and abroad.

His sudden yet obvious exit from the international arena in August 2020 paved the way for multiple job openings in the Indian set-up. 

The requirements stated résumés to have at least a couple, if not all, skills of the World Cup winning veteran. The skills in demand were that of a canny wicketkeeper, vicious finisher, dazzling leader, and a human DRS.

Contenders to emerge from shortlisting were Dinesh Karthik, India’s second-best wicketkeeping choice during the beginning of Dhoni’s reign, and Rishabh Pant, hailed as MSD’s likely successor during the twilight of his career.

In a battle between an old warhorse and a rising star, the Indian limited-overs management decided to go with the latter. KL Rahul, a stalwart of India’s top-order, was also used around in doses under charismatic skipper Virat Kohli.   

The Men in Blue managed well, claiming incredible T20I series wins in New Zealand and Australia. However, the team’s litmus test launched with 2021’s T20 World Cup, a tournament that marked India’s first-ever ICC event since 2004 without the presence of its most illustrious trophy collector.

The result, as it turned out, saw Team India make a first-round exit from the desert country.

Panicky shuffling of players, changes in captaincy aside, the Indian white-ball team now seeks a shot at redemption, albeit this time Down Under later this year.

While Rishabh Pant remains India’s principal choice across all formats, the latter’s insurgency through IPL 2022 continues to raise many dilemmas among Indian fans.

In the recently-concluded tournament, Karthik clubbed 330 runs at a blazing strike-rate of 183.33. Moreover, he unfurled an 8-ball 30* in one of the games for RCB, thus making his presence felt among the Indian selectors for the first time since India’s crashing exit from the 2019 World Cup semi-final. 

Remarkably, apart from Karthik, the 2019 knockout fixture also happened to be the last international outing for MS Dhoni.

For a blazing IPL season, the 37-year-old was rewarded by a spot in the expanded Indian crew for the upcoming five-match series against South Africa at home.

On the other hand, Rishabh Pant also made it to the squad as one of the wicketkeepers of the side. The young left-hander recently piled up 340 runs across 14 IPL 2022 innings with a striking ability of 151.79, which certainly is imposing but much inferior to Karthik’s 183+ S/R from the same season.

While Pant will be looking to solidify his status as India’s numero uno wicketkeeper-batsman at the moment by putting up a string of consistent brilliance against the Proteas, the Tamil Nadu veteran will be hoping to replicate his IPL magic, this time while wearing the Indian jersey.

As the fight for slots heats up ahead of the T20 World Cup, Karthik might well take away the glovesman honours of this year’s mega event, despite age and present reputation falling on Pant’s side.