The semi-finals are almost certainly secured for Rohit Sharma & company. It is likely that Indian coach Rahul Dravid will play the same lineup against Zimbabwe on November 6 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Nevertheless, for Indian cricket fans, it’s Rishabh Pant vs Dinesh Karthik yet again. The argument over whether the team management should substitute Pant for Karthik for the match against Zimbabwe has been reignited by Karthik’s underwhelming performance. Dinesh Karthik, with scores of 1, 6, and 7, has fallen short of expectations. The stage was set for him against Bangladesh on November 2, but a misunderstanding with Virat Kohli on field led to his dismissal. Apart from team management’s support, DK does not have much to show for.

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Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, has been working hard to stage a comeback. He was anticipated to replace Karthik even against Bangladesh as the seasoned player had hurt his back. However, Team India chose Karthik over Pant because he recovered in time. Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma might be tempted to test Pant ahead of the pivotal semifinal clash.

KL Rahul rediscovered his batting form with an outstanding half-century against Bangladesh. Both Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav have hit the top gear. While Hardik Pandya has struggled at times, he is an invaluable asset to India’s bowling attack. However, Rohit Sharma has had a poor start to the tournament. In contrast to the Netherlands, where he made a half-century, he has struggled against Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh. Before the semifinals, his inconsistent play might be a concern.

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Moreover, it appears that bowling is in good shape as well. Every Indian bowler who has taken at least two wickets in this tournament. After taking nine wickets—the most for India down under—young left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is having a breakthrough tournament.

India’s probable lineup

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Arshdeep Singh

Zimbabwe’s probable lineup

Wesley Madhevere, Craig Ervine (c), Regis Chakabva (wk), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani