Azharuddin feels Rishabh Pant is better wicketkeeper than Dinesh Karthik

Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin believes Rishabh Pant is a better wicketkeeper compared to Dinesh Karthik and should be allowed by team management to keep wickets in coming matches.

"One got to bank on Pant. If he is good enough to keep wickets in Test matches in England than why not T20? And no doubt that he showed better skills in England than Karthik," Azharuddin told reporters here.

"I honestly feel Rishabh should have kept wickets today. When you are a keeper, you should keep wickets. He is a good player. He has done well. The more he keeps, the more he will learn. I think his keeping needs to improve a lot though," the Hyderabadi stylist said.

Azhar felt that left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav will be a "force to reckon with" in coming days.

"Kuldeep has fast emerged as a good bowler. Now he is bowling well and improving every day. In the years to come, he will be a major force," the former skipper said.

(With inputs from agencies.)