'He will have to resign first': Ex-Australia cricketer's blistering take on Dinesh Karthik's chances of playing T20 World Cup

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has been in scintillating form with the bat in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Karthik has unleashed a couple of explosive knocks and thrown his name in the mix for selection in India's T20 World Cup squad. The right-handed batter has scored 226 runs in seven matches at a stunning strike rate of 205.45, smashing 16 fours and 18 sixes in the process.

Recently, Karthik himself voiced the desire to represent India in one more T20 World Cup. Reacting to Karthik's comments, former Australia cricketer Tom Moody playfully asserted that the Indian cricketer must first resign from commentary.

ALSO READ: 'Mera bat tod diya tune...' — Virat Kohli grills Rinku Singh ahead of high-octane drama between KKR and RCB, Watch viral video

ALSO READ: Suresh Raina snubs Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant to declare this 24-yr-old star as India's next captain

"Well, I think, firstly, I think that Dinesh Karthik will have to resign his commentary commitments for the World Cup to make himself available for the Indian team," Moody said on Jio Cinema.

Moody says Rishabh Pant a better option

Despite Karthik being in sizzling form with the bat, Moody reckons that India will benefit more with Rishabh Pant in the team. Moody highlighted the importance of having a left-handed batter in the middle phase where spinners will dictate proceedings.

ALSO READ: Mohammad Rizwan breaks Virat Kohli and Babar Azam's record, becomes fastest to 3,000 T20I runs

ALSO READ: 'I have to take 3 pills a day so that I don't feel the pain...': Ishant Sharma reveals he is playing IPL despite injury

"I personally believe that Pant is the person that is the number one in that role purely because he's proving his fitness. And I'm saying proving because I think there's still time to go. His batting is showing that he hasn't lost too much of that touch, and that's only going to get better and better with time," Tom Moody said ahead of KKR vs RCB match.

"But most importantly for me, he's a left-hander, and India need a left-hander in the middle order. If they don't have a left-hander in the middle order, they will be exposed, particularly in the Caribbean, where we'll see probably two spinners operate in that middle phase," concluded Tom Moody.
 

MORE ON SPORTS TAK: 

'Other teams also could not control it': Coach comes to Rishabh Pant's brigade's rescue after SRH batters make mincemeat of DC bowlers

'He’s a silent guy, goes unnoticed a lot...': Bhuvneshwar Kumar on SRH's match-winner after emphatic win over DC

Second-string New Zealand lay down arms against Pakistan's bowling lineup; suffer 7-wicket defeat after getting bowled out for 90

Jake Fraser-McGurk smashes fastest fifty for Delhi Capitals, breaks former South African cricketer’s 8-year-old record