Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has angered the legendary Sunil Gavaskar with his recent comments about Dinesh Karthik's inclusion in the national team squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. The prestigious event is scheduled to take place Down Under in October and November. Gautam Gambhir, who was the hero of India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 50-over World Cup triumphs, has voiced his opinion against taking Dinesh Karthik in Australia because his spot wasn't fixed in the starting XI. “If he doesn't have a place in the playing XI, there's no point giving him a place in the squad,” Gautam Gambhir said on Friday. Sunil Gavaskar though didn't take Gambhir's words kindly and almost immediately hit out at him, declaring that Karthik could be “the guy India want.”

“I know people are talking about how can you include him in the team when he's not going to play. How do you see he's not going to be able to play? He could be the guy you want. You look at the form and not reputations, names and then you pick the guy,” Sunil Gavaskar said during the post-match show on Star Sports after India's 82-run triumph over South Africa in the fourth T20I in Rajkot on Friday.

“He (Dinesh Karthik) doesn't get too many opportunities, bats at No. 6 and 7. You can't expect him to get 50 regularly. He'll get you a good 40 in 20 deliveries, and that's what he has been doing consistently. He did exactly the same thing again, and that is the reason why he's very much in contention for a place in the World Cup squad. The way he was getting runs today (Friday), India was down and out. It showed great character, great determination, and a great sense of purpose. He's desperate to play for India again. I think that might be his swansong. I know there's a 50-overs World Cup next year and he might want to be available for that as well. But whatever it is, don't look at the man's age, look at the performances,” Gavaskar further said.

But Gautam Gambhir's comments came before Dinesh Karthik's match-defining knock of 55 against South Africa at Rajkot's Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Friday.

“Too early to say. T20 World Cup is far ahead. He needs to consistently perform till then but if he wants to bat only in the last three overs, things could get tough. India will definitely be looking at someone in the top 7 who can bowl and if Axar is batting at 7, the team would be a batter short,” Gambhir told the official broadcaster of the series.

“In such a case I would not have him (Karthik) in the World Cup Squad. I would definitely have people like Rishabh Pant, and Deepak Hooda (in the team). We have got KL Rahul, we've got Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma. Once they come back, it's going to be tough for Dinesh Karthik to find a place in the playing XI. If he doesn't have a place in the playing XI, there's no point giving him a place in the squad,” Gambhir added.

Gautam Gambhir and Sunil Gavaskar's war of words over Dinesh Karthik came in the backdrop of the veteran breaking the legendary MS Dhoni’s record to become the oldest India batter to score a half-century in T20I cricket.

On Friday, Dinesh Karthik was the best player for India in their lopsided triumph over South Africa in the fourth T20I of the five-match home series in Rajkot.

Dinesh Karthik came out all guns blazing as he unleashed his full arsenal of shots – pulls, cuts, drives, sweep and even the reverse-sweep, almost everything was on display as he raced through to a scintillating 55 off 27 balls, helping Team India to a competitive total of 169/6 in the first innings of the contest.

Notably, it was Dinesh Karthik’s maiden fifty in the shortest version of the sport and came 16 years after his debut in national colours.

Dinesh Karthik featured in India’s first T20I match back in 2006 when India beat South Africa at the Wanderers. Like in Rajkot, Karthik was the key man in Johannesburg as well as he remained unbeaten on 31 to guide India to a six-wicket victory there.

Coming back to the game in Gujarat, Dinesh Karthik arrived at the crease with India in deep trouble, having just lost skipper Rishabh Pant. The home team's score read 81/4 in 13 overs and Dinesh Karthik had the twin task of building a partnership with vice-captain Hardik Pandya and scoring runs at a quick rate at the same time.

Dinesh Karthik didn't let his side down as he combined with Hardik Pandya to bail the home team out of a difficult situation. Hardik Pandya himself made 46 of 31 balls.

Dinesh Karthik’s innings turned out to be a match-winning one as India’s bowlers produced a sensational show with the ball, bowling out the visitors for just 87 to complete a comprehensive 82-run triumph. Avesh Khan was among the pick of the bowlers for India as he returned with figures of 4/18. On the other hand, Yuzvendra Chahal grabbed two wickets.