Jitesh Sharma is a home-grown No.6 batsman – Dinesh Karthik
As Team India is facing difficulties in finding a ‘finisher’ in T20I cricket, veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik has highlighted the team management to promote Deepak Hooda higher in the batting order and give the uncapped Jitesh Sharma a chance at No 6.
India has produced great youngsters recently and the competition for places in the Indian cricket team stays as furious as could be expected. Despite the number of games that the Indian team plays these days, there are always newcomers knocking on the doors of the senior team.
As Team India is facing difficulties in finding a ‘finisher’ in T20I cricket, veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik has highlighted the team management to promote Deepak Hooda higher in the batting order and give the uncapped Jitesh Sharma a chance at No 6.
Hooda has done well in the Indian Premier League, particularly at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots but in the Indian team, he keeps on being tried as a finisher, at No. 6 or even lower at times.
Karthik disagreed with the role designated to the all-rounder and feels the team should allow him an opportunity to prove himself at No. 3 before the decision to move on from him is taken.
“To be consistent is the hardest thing at 5, 6, 7, especially at 6 and 7. So Deepak Hooda, even though he has done well at No.3, for some reason they feel he can do the job at No.6 and 7. I feel this is going to be a big challenge for him. Throughout his IPL career, barring Lucknow Super Giants, he is someone who has batted through the middle, at No.5 or 6 and hasn’t had great success. He fancies himself as a top-order batter. He rediscovered himself when he went from Baroda to Rajasthan. He likes batting in the power play. He likes to take the game on. But right now, in the recently-concluded Sri Lanka series, he did decently well at No.6 and it was a great opportunity for him,”
Karthik said in a chat with Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz.
About the No. 6 spot, Karthik is of the compelling assessment that youngster Jitesh Sharma would value the chance to play at the No. 6 spot as here he has prepared himself.
“Jitesh Sharma is a home-grown No.6 batsman. He is someone who likes batting there and would hence enjoy the situation a lot more. Her has batted there and has trained himself to bat there. But in this series, I don’t see him playing. Now it is Deepak Hooda. But I do think if he is under pressure they should give him that opportunity at No.3 before they decide to move on from him,”
Karthik opined.