The Indian national selectors will have a tough job at their hands when they sit out to select India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2024. While there are limited opportunities up for grabs, there seems to be several players in form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 which makes their job a difficult one. Former India cricketers, who are now busy sharing their views on the IPL as experts and pundits, are also getting engaged in intense debates and discussions while the IPL is on regarding who shall make it to India’s team for the marquee ICC event in June this year.

The latest case in point is the debate between Ambati Rayudu and Irfan Pathan. While Rayudu reckoned that Dinesh Karthik might given a nod for the T20 World Cup 2024, given his form especially after his heroics in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Pathan differed and suggested that the likes of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson deserve a chance ahead of Karthik.

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“I have seen him from a young age. He is very talented. He has always remained under the shadows of MS Dhoni and hence did not get consistent opportunities. Probably, one last time, he could become a match-winner for India, and he would have that golden opportunity to end his career with the World Cup and help India win that trophy. I feel India should take him to the World Cup,”  said during a discussion on Star Sports.

‘T20 World Cup A Different Level,’ Insists Irfan Pathan

However, Pathan laughed off the idea. While he did admit that DK was looking in good form but he highlighted how the T20 World Cup will be a different different ball game altogether.

“See, I must praise Dinesh Karthik. He is looking in top form. But Indian cricket is on a different level. The World Cup is a different level. There you don’t get uncapped players bowling to you. There are no impact-player rule in the World Cup. There are only 11 players. So playing there is a different pressure altogether,” he said.

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Rayudu was quick to interrupt Pathan as he said: “This is the ball. This is the white kookaburra ball. Karthik is a seasoned player”, a statement to which Pathan initially responded with a smile before saying: “There is facing Jasprit Bumrah and then there…,”. However, it was this instance that Rayudu told Pathan how DK had smashed Pat Cummins for a six.

The discussion continued as both seemed to agree on the fact that eventually India should end up on the winning side, be it through DK’s sixes or any other player playing to his potential.