Karthik's candid assessment of Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar's surprising choice of 5 spinners in CT squad

Senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has practically secured his spot in the playing XI following his outstanding performance with the ball against England. Kuldeep Yadav is anticipated to be the secret weapon with the ball for India in the challenging conditions in Dubai, while Axar Patel has proven to be a valuable asset with his batting skills and adaptability in the team's lineup.

Karthik suggested that having five spinners in the squad suggests that the team management is unsure about the ideal combination.

"Five spinners, I personally feel, is a bit too much. They could have done with 4, I felt. And that’s where I do think it shows a little bit of, not confusion, which is probably a strong word, but not being very sure of what exactly to do because they announced a squad and then they added another spinner for an opener," Karthik told Cricbuzz.

‘Siraj could have been the ideal choice to replace Bumrah’

Meanwhile, the selection committee went ahead with Harshit Rana as Jasprit Bumrah's replacement as Mohammed Siraj was picked as a non-travelling substitute. The decision to pick Rana over Siraj did put the selection committee under the scanners, as the latter has been a consistent performer for India in the 50-over format for the past few years.

However, Karthik asserted that Siraj could have been the ideal replacement but the Indian camp currently has more trust on Rana's ability and he also reciprocated well with impressive show in England ODIs.

“Look, if you had to go with experience, then yes, Siraj could have been the ideal choice, but I thought Harshit bowled very well against England. What I feel is the Indian camp is very impressed with Harshit Rana. I think Harshit Rana was the debate, but I feel Team India backs him right now more than Siraj," Karthik said.

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