Will DK play or Pant? Key selection dilemma for Team India ahead of T20 clash against England

Team India captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid are still not clear about the team composition ahead of the crucial semifinal clash against England in the ongoing T20 World Cup in Australia.

Following a lot of permutations and combinations, they are not yet sure whether to go with experience over the youngster everyone wants to see in the team. 

Dinesh Karthik vs Rishabh Pant is the dilemma that the team management is currently facing. The team has gone all out to back the 37-year-old Karthik behind the stumps. However, several experts are of the opinion to keep Pant in the playing eleven.

It will be a tough choice for the team management considering the fact that he semifinal will be played at the Adelaide Oval. The track won’t be fresh and conditions will suit India more. The field isn’t as big as other Australian grounds and the square boundaries are much shorter than the straight ones.

So, the million dollar question is - will a left-hander be drafted in or will DK continue? If Karthik plays, the Indian team will not have to alter its batting order. But if Pant is drafted into the side, all-rounder Hardik Pandya will have to bat at number six.

Notably, Karthik was the last batsman who went out to bat in the nets while Pant batted second after Virat Kohli on Tuesday. The left-hander was in a belligerent mood and played strokes all over the park. It could be an indication that Pant will be preferred over DK in the all-important semifinal.

On the other hand, the team management has gone with a fixed line-up throughout the tournament and doesn’t believe in changing and chopping the side much. Pant was only given a chance against Zimbabwe as the team wanted him to have some game time to have a ready option.

Pant scored just three runs against Zimbabwe while Karthik has so far managed to score 1, DNB, 6 and 7 runs in four matches.
Meanwhile, captain Rohit was non-committal about who the team will go for in the semifinal. Now, the fans will have to wait and watch for the final team combination. 

With several experts vying for Pant’s inclusion, left-hander Pant could be drafted in considering the short square boundaries in Adelaide Oval.