Karthik Criticizes Team India’s ‘New Mindset’ After Harshit Rana’s Inclusion Over Arshdeep
IND vs AUS, Dinesh Karthik slams Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar: Former wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik strongly criticized this. During a discussion with Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz, Karthik questioned the team selection and said that this is the new 'mindset' of Indian cricket, which he disagrees with.
The five-match India-Australia T20 series started on a disappointing note. The series began with a match to be played at Canberra's Manuka Oval, but rain cut short the play after only 58 balls. India won the toss and chose to bat first, but continuous rain led the umpires to delay the match.
Even though the match did not happen, the Indian team management stunned everyone by adding young fast bowler Harshit Rana in place of fast bowler Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI. After this, a lot of former legends and cricket pundits have shown their discontent. Former wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik was highly critical of the decision. During a discussion with Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz, Karthik questioned the team selection and said that it represents the new mindset of Indian cricket, which he disagrees with.
Dinesh Karthik expressed his surprise at seeing Harshit Rana at number 8 in the playing XI. He said, "I'm surprised to see Harshit Rana at number 8. This reflects the mindset of Team India currently led by Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir." Karthik further clarified, "I think they both like depth in the batting lineup, but I hate the thought that they chose Harshit Rana over Arshdeep. This is happening with Team India in every format now." He also added that if Nitish Kumar Reddy had been fit and available, the team combination would have been worth watching.
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Karthik didn't stop there. He also discussed the team combination for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. According to him, Jasprit Bumrah will be the primary bowler, supported by Hardik Pandya. The team will feature three spinners, a requirement of modern T20 cricket.
Continuing the discussion, renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle agreed with Karthik. Bhogle said that in an Asian setup (such as pitches in India, Sri Lanka, or Bangladesh), Washington Sundar would be a better choice than Harshit Rana. This would give the Indian team four strong slow bowling options: Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Varun Chakravarthy.
Bhogle argued that variation and control are crucial in T20, especially on Asian pitches where spinners dominate. Fast bowlers like Harshit Rana may be useful in Australian conditions, but balance is essential in a long tournament.
