"It is not Shivam Dube in isolation" - Dinesh Karthik staunchly defends Team India's selection ahead of IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 clash

Former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik backed Team India's selection strategy of playing Shivam Dube to extend the batting depth ahead of the all-important Asia Cup 2025 clash against Pakistan in Dubai on September 14. The Men in Blue made it 26 wins in their last 29 T20Is by thumping the UAE by nine wickets in their tournament opener.

While the result was never in doubt from start to finish, much of the discussion from fans and former players was about India excluding left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh from the 11. India went with only three specialist bowlers, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Jasprit Bumrah, to have batting till No. 8.

In a conversation with Cricbuzz ahead of the Pakistan encounter, Karthik explained why India are justified in their selection.

"Whoever I add in isn't going to add much in terms of what this team could be doing. Let's say for example you put an Arshdeep Singh in place of Shivam Dube. Yes, he will give you a little bit more with the ball but that little bit is not worth what Shivam Dube gives me with the bat. It is not Shivam Dube in isolation. It's what the team can do having that extra batter. So the whole batting approach changes," he said (19:22)

Karthik added:

"I like this because of the way they play now, which is high intensity and high octane cricket, taking huge risks at the top and irrespective of the situation, going at a certain pace. And if you want to tick all those boxes, you need that extra batter. "India are a strong team in the lead up to this World Cup because they know what they want to do. They have a clear blueprint with bat and ball and they stick to it, which is always a good sign six months before a World Cup."

Arshdeep is India's all-time leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 99 scalps, including a tournament-high 17 wickets in India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. Meanwhile, Dube impressed with the ball against the UAE, producing figures of 3/4 in two overs.

Dinesh Karthik picks key matchup in the upcoming IND-PAK clash

Dinesh Karthik picked the potential matchup between Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed as the one to watch out for in the India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash. The duo has never faced each other at the international level.

Abrar has impressed in his 17-match T20I career, picking up 24 wickets at an average of 16.62 and an economy of under seven. Meanwhile, Surya has been arguably the best T20I batter over the past few years, averaging 38.30 at a strike rate of 167.30 in 84 matches.

Abrar has only played one game against India in his career at the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran