Asia Cup 2022: Saba Karim picks India's XI for 1st game against Pakistan; no place for Karthik and Ashwin

Saba Karim has picked his preferred Indian XI for their Asia Cup 2022 opening encounter against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, August 28. Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin failed to find a place in the former selector's side.

The continental T20 tournament will be played in the UAE from August 27 to September 11. Rohit Sharma will lead a 15-member Indian squad at the event, with KL Rahul as his deputy.

During an interaction on the Sports 18 show 'Sports Over the Top', Karim chose Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli as his top three batters, elaborating:

"My top order is captain Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. I am backing experience to do well against a big team like Pakistan and also in an important tournament like the Asia Cup. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, if they undergo two-three good practice sessions, I am sure they will get back to form at the right time for India."

While picking Suryakumar Yadav to bat at No. 4, Karim added that the Mumbai Indians player can be used as a floater. The former India wicketkeeper-batter explained:

"Suryakumar Yadav is such a multi-dimensional player, I can keep him as a floater. I can push him up the order if my two openers bat till say the seventh or the eighth over. In case it is required, I can also push him down the order because he is such a player who can give me value at whatever number he bats."

Karim expressed similar thoughts about Rishabh Pant as well, saying:

"I am looking at my four, five and six as floaters. I will keep Rishabh Pant very handy. If I feel I need to push a left-hander at the top of the order, I can do that also."

Karim also shared his reason for picking Pant ahead of Karthik, explaining:

"In my XI, I could have picked only one wicketkeeper-batter because I am getting in KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. That leaves me with a choice of picking only one player between Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant. I have gone ahead with Rishabh Pant because he is such an X-factor for India."

The Men in Blue have used Karthik as a specialist finisher in the last few T20I series they have played. However, with the return of both Rahul and Kohli to the side, the team management might find it difficult to accommodate the Royal Challengers Bangalore wicketkeeper-batter in the playing XI.

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Saba Karim on leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin

R Ashwin gave a decent account of himself at the last T20 World Cup.

Karim picked Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal as his two spinners ahead of Ashwin. He reasoned:

"R Ashwin is in the 15 but I would play him in the XI only if I see that there are three-four left-handers in the opposition team. But as of now my top two spinners in the XI would be Ravindra Jadeja, because he gives me some runs down the order, and wicket-taking option is Yuzi Chahal."

Saba Karim's XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan.