IPL 2017: 5 strategies Gujarat Lions need to rethink

#3 Role of Dinesh Karthik

A man in superlative touch has been severely underutilized

Dinesh Karthik has been in such phenomenal touch in the domestic circuit that he is one stable option they have in the middle order. He has looked good in the few opportunities he has had at the crease early on. But the think-tank has preferred him at 5, a position too low for the wicket-keeper.

When a player is batting with the kind of form Karthik has shown, he should get more time at the crease to construct a sizeable innings. But Gujarat's strategy has been to bring in Roy or Finch at 4 with Karthik at 5, which has given the wicket-keeper-batsman little time to play his shots.

A batting re-arrangement is long overdue. Karthik could come in at 4 with Ishan Kishan, who impressed against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, coming in at 5. The World Cup-winning under-19 skipper has a calm head on his shoulders and looks like a match winner but has not been trusted with responsibility.