In MS Dhoni’s absence, a chance for Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant to stake their claim

Of the many things that will be missing during the Nidahas Trophy T20I tri-series from the recently concluded limited overs fixtures in South Africa is Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s constant colloquial chatter from behind the wickets. The stump microphones used in South Africa conveyed with great clarity to the television viewers Dhoni’s commanding influence over the team on field. “Cheeku (Virat Kohli), bring the long-on a little further up,” he instructed the Indian captain once. His much acclaimed match awareness (evidence: his input to Kedar Jadhav in the second ODI that Khaya Zondo won’t hit the ball to point when he moves behind) and his tongue in cheek humour (“Be ready to catch a big hit and don’t give any excuses later,” he warned his fielders in the fifth ODI like a tutor asking his students to be ready for a test).

Dhoni, after a decade and a half since his limited-overs debut, remains an indispensable member for the men in blue. His reputation as one of the world’s finest finishers in the shorter formats, his unorthodox but greatly effective wicket-keeping skills, and his innate leadership qualities - all crucial to the Indian team in the shorter formats.

And just as India struggled to find a high quality wicket-keeper batsman before him (remember Ajay Ratra, Parthiv Patel, Sameer Dighe, Parthiv Patel, MSK Prasad et al?), closer to retirement, there is no heir apparent to the 36-year-old. There are names aplenty, but none which screams ‘pick me!’

Which is why the T20 tri-series starting today will be important for Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant, who can stake their claim.

A second wind for DK?

It’s funny to think that Karthik’s limited overs debut was three months earlier to Dhoni’s. In the numerous and infrequent opportunities he got, Karthik failed to make them count. So, he became, for quite a while, the team’s replacement man. He played for the country when an opener got injured in Tests or when Dhoni was rested. He hasn’t, however, complained thus far of the lack of opportunities. In limited overs, he’s batted in positions one to seven, kept wickets, fielded in different areas and made quite a few spirited 20s and 30s. What Karthik has lacked in limited overs cricket for India is a memorable big score. In T20Is, his highest is a 48 that came on a losing cause against West Indies last year. In ODIs, he hasn’t gone beyond 79 that he scored against South Africa in 2010.

Karthik’s seen as a hard-worker. In many of the team’s victories, he’s been a useful contributor. But he hasn’t been a match-winner.

On the field, one could see Karthik bustle like a kid with uncontrollable energy. On the field, he shouts encouragement to his teammates. On the field, he’s quick and agile – behind the wickets or elsewhere. But on the field, he’s rarely seen. He played only one T20I out of the six ODIs and three T20Is against South Africa.

Even if he’s in the playing eleven for all of India’s games in this tri-series, Karthik, will hope to get an opportunity to play that one eye-catching innings that could make his case strong. For the newly-named captain of KKR, at 32, things are aligning in the right direction - it’s up to him to make it count.

In-form Pant

Challenging Karthik for the position of Dhoni’s successor will be Pant, who’s 12 years younger than him. Pant, unlike Karthik, doesn’t have the pressures of not having made big scores. He’s just two T20Is old in international cricket but in domestic circles, he’s already a star. He has a first-class triple hundred, a hundred in List A and T20 cricket and can, stating the obvious, score fast. The most recent first class season raised questions over Pant’s temperament, but he’s batted himself into some form in the domestic shorter format tournaments.

That Pant’s just 20 and can be groomed into a fine ‘keeper-batsman makes his case strong.

Sanjay Manjrekar wrote in The Times of India, “That we keep going back to Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel every time we have to look beyond Saha and Dhoni is not a good sign. There seems to be a dearth of exciting quality ‘keeper-batsmen in Indian cricket today.”

“Best they give Rishabh Pant the whole of the Nidahas tournament to show that he can be that ‘hard to find’ talent.”

But Karthik isn’t too old, he’s fit and deserves a consistent run in the team to translate his domestic success at the international stage.

But even if either of the two or both have a brilliant tournament with the bat and the gloves, replacing Dhoni before he retires is out of question even as his finishing prowess is on the wane. Kohli’s defence of his predecessor when the media questioned his patchy run with the bat during last year’s New Zealand T20I series showed he wants him in the team at least till the 2019 World Cup.

“’I don’t understand why people are only pointing him out,” said Kohli. “I don’t understand if I failed three times as a batsmen no one is going to point a finger at me because I am not over 35. Besides, he is fit and has passed the fitness test and he is contributing to the team in every possible way tactically.”

But for Pant and Karthik - depending on if either or both play - this series will be a tryout to stake a claim for Dhoni’s place once he hangs up his gloves.