Rishabh Pant vs Wriddhiman Saha: Gautam Gambhir picks his preferred wicket-keeper for Jamaica Test

Rishabh Pant vs Wriddhiman Saha: The former Indian opening batsman was vocal about the two current wicket-keeper batsmen.

The discussion regarding India’s wicket-keeper batsman for the second Test of the ongoing tour of West Indies continues as the visitors seem to be in a dilemma. The two-match series further means that the team management doesn’t have many chances to solve the issue.

Post former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket in 2015, Saha had become a regular for India in the format. While Saha’s Test batting average of 30.63 isn’t something to boast about, he mostly covered it up with his exceptional wicket-keeper skills.

A series of injuries to Saha followed by Pant impressing with the bat last year changed the scenario altogether. While Pant’s batting looked enough to pin down Saha’s wicket-keeping for the first Test, it was what eventually happened.

Other than grabbing five catches in the match, Pant scored 24 and 7 in two innings. His mediocre show with the bat had once again given voice to Saha’s supporters.

Rishabh Pant vs Wriddhiman Saha

Former India wicket-keeper batsman Syed Kirmani had previously spoken against Pant being India’s wicket-keeper batsman in Tests. Kirmani didn’t shy away from stating that Pant is still in the making when it comes to the Test format.

Rishabh Pant – 47 dismissals in 10 Tests [45 catches & 2 stumpings]

The record for quickest to 50 dismissals as keeper is shared between Mark Boucher, Jonny Bairstow and Tim Paine in 10 Tests.

Pant fell three dismissals short of the record! #WIvIND

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) August 25, 2019

In a recent interview with PTI, former India opening batsman and current MP from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir backed his Delhi junior. Gambhir brought to notice Pant’s overseas centuries last year and stated that Saha needs to wait at the moment.

“When someone [Rishabh Pant] is averaging 48 [45.43] with the bat and scored a hundred each in England and Australia, he deserves to be playing Test cricket. [Wriddhiman] Saha needs to wait for his opportunity as Pant has grabbed his opportunity with both hands,” Gambhir told PTI.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

Read More