ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Five reasons why Dinesh Karthik is the ideal replacement for Manish Pandey

Backup for MS Dhoni

Dhoni finally has an able understudy, who is more than handy with the bat and behind the stumps

If there was one major concern with India’s Champions Trophy squad, it was the lack of a back-up for MS Dhoni in the wicketkeeping department. With Kedar Jadhav seen as an off-spinner and nothing more than a part-time keeper, India didn’t have some to fill in for Dhoni.

Now, they finally have someone in the shape of Dinesh Karthik. The pair have played together before, in the last edition of the Champions Trophy. The 31-year-old might have the numbers of a top-order batsman but his ability behind the stumps is far from part-time.

Even if he isn’t as quick behind it as MS Dhoni, he affords the option of a backup that wasn’t there before. The fact that he is the only keeper to have more dismissals in IPL than Dhoni merely highlights his credentials as a full-time wicketkeeper. That he is a more than capable batsman as well means that he serves an adequate backup on both fronts.