'Dinesh Karthik can still win matches': Harbhajan Singh on veteran batsman's selection ahead of Rishabh Pant for Pakistan tie in Asia Cup 2022

India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, who got a call up to India squad after his super show for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2022, has cemented his place in the team as a finisher.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh felt that Karthik's form along with Rishabh Pant's poor show in the shortest format of the game led to the veteran making the playing XI for the Pakistan game.

"Rishabh Pant, no doubt, has done very well even in Test cricket and one-dayers. He has been very good. But in this shortest format, he has not been an accomplished player. However, if you look at Dinesh Karthik, his graph is only going upward. He has performed well. This is the right decision. In this format, in this form, there is no use keeping him on the bench. It's time for Dinesh Karthik to play, he should play," Harbhajan Singh said in an interaction with AajTak.

The former off-spinner also felt that while Pant still has a lot of cricket left in him, Karthik is at the end of his career. "Rishabh Pant is young, he still has plenty of time left. However, Dinesh Karthik has only 1-2 years left and he should make the most of it, the team should also use Karthik's form and make the most of it. He can win a lot of matches, batting down the order. With Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik batting down the order, I think it's going to be difficult for most opposition bowlers," he added.