Former players Dinesh Karthik and Ajay Jadeja have supported Harshal Patel as the replacement for India speedster Mohammed Siraj for the second T20I between India and New Zealand. Siraj tore the webbing of his left hand during the last over in Jaipur on Wednesday and he could miss the coming matches as well.
Dinesh Karthik said while both the pacers – Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan are in good form, Patel’s change of pace will be useful in Ranchi. He also stated that the team management might want the extra pace of Avesh Khan in the team as well.
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Battle with Boult 😀
Birthday gift for wife 😊@surya_14kumar talks about it all in this interview with @ashwinravi99 after #TeamIndia's win in Jaipur. 👍 👍 – By @28anandFull interview 🎥 🔽 #INDvNZ @Paytm https://t.co/pPp17Ef51Q pic.twitter.com/hNQyLzfDTP
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Speaking to Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik said:
“Both of them are bowling at the best of their careers so far… So you can blindly play any one of them. I personally feel Harshal Patel will be better because obviously, you know, the change of pace in Ranchi [which is a] slightly slow wicket. Avesh Khan is very good with slower ones as well but Harshal Patel is bowling with such good rhythm that you want to give him the opportunity and see what he brings to the table. But another way you look at it is – you have somebody who bowls 135 in Deepak Chahar and Bhuvi. If you want someone with more pace then the option is Avesh Khan. It’s a good headache to have…”
Speaking at the same video interaction, Ajay Jadeja also echoed the lines of Dinesh Karthik. He opined that Harshal Patel would be the better option. He was in sublime form and finished as the highest wicket-taker as well where he picked up 32 wickets in a season.
“The way Siraj was used, probably Harshal Patel because he bowled one in the powerplay and two right at the end… what he has done in the IPL, the reason why he’s been picked in the side – his strength is that when the game is moving at a different pace and the batsman is trying to dominate that’s when his slower one becomes more useful. If you have to use him the same way and the others around then Harshal is the one I’ll probably go with,” Jadeja explained.
India unlikely to make any change – Dinesh Karthik
However, Dinesh Karthik shared that India are unlikely to make more changes for the second T20I, which will take place in Ranchi on Friday.
“The one thing Rahul Dravid has done fabulously well in his time as an India Under-19 and an India A coach is his ability to rotate and play the whole squad, consistently on all tours and give everybody an opportunity and that’s why we have such a large bench strength for the Indian team… and if that is anything to go by, he’ll have the right conversations and spread the right message. One thing is giving a break but you have got to make sure that the guy is happy to get a break…,” Dinesh Karthik concluded.
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