India vs South Africa: Dinesh Karthik has already booked his place in T20 World Cup squad, says Ashish Nehra – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra believed veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has already booked his spot in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia with his fine display with the bat in Indian Premier League and then for the national team in the ongoing South Africa series.

“He (Karthik) has already booked his place in the T20 World Cup squad. He scored 55 at a strike rate of 200,” Nehra said on Cricbuzz.

In the ongoing series, whose decider is to be played today in Rajkot after India rallied to level the series 2-2, Karthik has scored 92 runs at a strike rate of 158.6 batting at No. 6 while scoring an important 27-ball 55 in the last game on Friday.

Nehra believed that having someone like Karthik, who made comeback in the Indian team with the series since getting dropped in 2019, down the order will help chase down 200 in Australia.

“He batted at No.6, which I liked, and that fact that he scored a half-century… his innings was longer and he got to bat earlier in the game… so these are the expectation you have from your most experienced player whom you have recalled to the team.

“Yes he does score runs in the last 3-4 overs but experience means that he knows a lot many other things as well. Selectors, and team management should all be happy. The knock surely will give him confidence as well and going forward, in this entire talk about impact at that batting position… you have Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and then the experience of Karthik. He is the kind of player who can help you chase down even targets of 200 in Australia,” Nehra explained.

The squad for the World Cup is not expected to be announced anytime soon with the Men in Blue set to play 10 more T20s after the South Africa series. Karthik will next feature in the two-match T20 series against Ireland later this month.

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