Whether discussing Test cricket, T20s, or ODIs, Indian cricket is brimming with talent in every facet of the game. Stories of deserving players not receiving the necessary opportunity on the squad occasionally make headlines. Rahul Tripathi, a batter who has garnered many admirers with his “selfless” performances whenever an opportunity has been given to him, has experienced a similar tale. Veteran Indian wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik believes Tripathi should always be the “first-choice” candidate when the selectors are looking for Kohli’s replacement.
Karthik expertly articulated the characteristics that Tripathi brings to the table in a chat on Cricbuzz. Karthik is aware of Tripathi’s importance as a “team player” from their time working together at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). “Whatever I’m going to say now, I don’t think it’s for Rahul Tripathi, it’s for all cricket fans, who follow Indian cricket very closely. Please don’t have temporary amnesia in the near future, because the names replacing him will be big. And then we might go and look at the score and say he just scored a 40 or a 30,” he said.
As a result, the seasoned wicket-keeper batsman believes Tripathi should be Kohli’s first-choice successor whenever the latter decides to retire. “I think we shouldn’t forget that in 3 months’ time, 6 months’ time. Maybe he’ll have a good IPL, maybe he won’t but he deserves that Indian team number 3 spot whenever that comes. If Virat Kohli chooses to play okay but if Virat Kohli is not around he should be the first choice, not someone who has done well somewhere else,” Karthik explained.
