Want to give Dinesh Karthik more game time ahead of T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma wants to give wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik more time in the middle before the team heads Down Under for the T20 World Cup next month. The team has been alternating between Karthik and Rishabh Pant in their playing XI. While the young keeper was given the nod ahead of the veteran player in the Asia Cup, Karthik was picked for all three matches against Australia. “I wanted both of these guys to have a number of games under their belt before the World Cup. When we went to the Asia Cup both of these guys were in the fray to play all games," Rohit said at the post-match press conference after India clinched the three-match series against Australia on Sunday. “But I just feel that Dinesh needs a little more game time. He hardly got to bat (this series). Just maybe three balls. So that's not enough time,” Rohit added.

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Karthik faced seven balls in total against Australia, while Pant played only one game where he did not get a chance to bat. “Pant also needs game time obviously. But looking at how this series was it was important for me to just stick to that consistent batting lineup.” India take on South Africa for a three-match T20I series, starting Wednesday and Rohit said Karthik and Pant's inclusion in the playing xi will depend upon the situation.

1/163rd T20I: India beat Australia to win series 2-1Show Captions<p>India won