Dinesh Karthik picks 'selfless' Rahul Tripathi as Virat Kohli's first-choice replacement

There is no shortage of talent in the current Indian team, whether it be in Tests, ODIs, or T20Is, there are players in every format who have made a significant contribution to the team and can take Indian cricket forward. One of the names that is discussed when the future of Indian cricket is talked about is Rahul Tripathi.

According to veteran wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, Tripathi should be one of the frontrunners  to replace Virat Kohli when the time comes for the legendary batter to step aside or when Kohli isn't available. Having worked alongside Tripathi at the Kolkata Knight Riders, Karthik knows just what Tripathi brings to the table.

"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 three spot whenever that comes. If Virat Kohli chooses to play, that's okay, but if Virat Kohli is not around, he should be the first choice, not someone who has done well somewhere else," Karthik said while talking to Cricbuzz.

He also emphasised that when Tripathi’s career was on the line, the 31-year-old still refused to change his style of play and delivered against Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The fearlessness that Tripathi possesses is something that can come in handy for the Indian national team.

The beauty about Tripathi is that’s his DNA: Dinesh Karthik

Tripathi once again showed the amount of talent he has in his arsenal. The flamboyant batter scored 44 off 22 when India faced New Zealand in the third T20I. Coming in at number 3, Tripathi did not shy away from his natural playing style and played aggressively to reap the rewards.

This is the type of attitude that Dinesh Karthik justified in his chat further. Karthik highlighted that Tripathi does not change his style of play regardless of the situation, which makes him an excellent talent and an asset to the team.

"The beauty about him is that's his DNA. "To go out there and regardless of how big the situation is, how big the game is, these are the kind of players you'll need because he'll exactly do that in the big matches," Karthik added.