India Monday named a tried and tested squad for the World Cup led by Virat Kohli with selectors going for experience in all the slots with no certain candidate.
Dinesh Karthik, 33, was given the second wicketkeeper’s slot over rising 21-year-old star Rishabh Pant.
Karthik’s form has been indifferent in recent games, but selectors valued his performance under pressure over the years.
‘We went ahead with Karthik because of his experience in big matches. We have seen Karthik finishing matches under pressure,’ chief selector MSK Prasad told a news conference.
‘Pant is full of talent, he has time on his hands. Unfortunately he missed out.’
Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 37, is first-choice wicketkeeper.
Allrounder Vijay Shankar, who made his one-day debut this year, was also named for the tournament which starts in England and Wales on May 30. He will probably be the number four batsman, which had been another gap in the 15-member squad.
Squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, K.L. Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami.
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