Team India is set to play against Pakistan on Sunday in Melbourne. Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir selected his playing XI for the match against Pakistan. He played a brilliant knock in the first T20 World Cup in 2007, which India won.
Gambhir banked on Mohammed Shami and also Pant over Dinesh Karthik.
Gambhir spoke to Zee News and said, "India should play 3 pacers. In my view, Shami should play in place of Bhuvneshwar. Arshdeep and Harshal Patel being the two other pacers. Chahal and Axar Patel as two spinners. Hardik Pandya as fourth seamer....Shami is good with the ball both at the start and in death. He bowled really well at the death in warm-up match vs Australia”.
He explained why he wants to play Rishabh Pant over Dinesh Karthik and stated, “You don't pick a batter to play just 10 balls. You pick a batter who can bat for long and Karthik has not been given that role or he has not shown the same intentions himself. He only comes to play 3 or 4 overs in the death. But what if India loses a couple of quick wickets? That is when you need Pant as you don't want to expose Hardik so early”.
Earlier, Sunil Gavaskar reckoned both Pant and Karthik can play together if Hardik Pandya is included in the Indian team as a fifth bowler.
“It's just that maybe, if they decide to go with six bowlers, with Hardik Pandya being the sixth bowler, then he (Pant) may not be able to find a place,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Live'.
"But if they decide to go with Hardik Pandya as the fifth bowler, then Rishabh Pant has an opportunity to bat at number six and Karthik maybe at number seven, followed by the four bowlers. So, that could well happen. We just have to wait and see.