A Former India Captain Discusses the “Actual Finishers” on Team India, Beginning with Dinesh Karthik

The team’s “real finishers” are not Karthik, as Krishnamachari Srikkanth has noted, despite the latter’s recent success.

The comeback of Dinesh Karthik as a consistent T20 player has been nothing short of amazing. The senior player is in the running to be selected for the T20 World Cup after he consistently performed for his IPL franchise and the Indian cricket team. Karthik is a key member of India’s 15-man Asia Cup squad. Future success will depend on his ability to contribute as both a finishing batsman and a backup wicketkeeper. Krishnamachari Srikkanth, a former captain of the Indian cricket team, has praised Karthik’s recent efforts but has noted that the squad’s “real finishers” are not Karthik.

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “finisher.” The finisher, in my opinion, is the batsman who can carry India to victory in the 20th over, well past the traditional end of the game in the 8th or 12th. His usual place of departure is the eighth or sixth inning, but where is the good finisher when he needs one? KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma both have strong finishing skills. By the way, they start off by opening “The Star Sports interview with Srikkanth.

“You can’t call him a finisher just because he bats in the final five overs. Dinesh Karthik is a player I’d like to have on my squad, and I’d like to use that title. Dinesh Karthik is a good closer, but men like Suryakumar Yadav are true closers. He’s great at wrapping things up. Rishabh Pant is a fantastic finisher for your team. Hardik Pandya is a fantastic finisher for your team. For the record, I’d like to define a finisher as a batsman who bats from the eighth over all the way through the twentieth.”

India has named the following players to their Asia Cup roster: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice Captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Dinesh Karthik (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Aves

They have named three players as emergency replacements: Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and Deepak Chahar.