hero-image

ENG v IND 2021: Will KL Rahul or Wriddhiman Saha replace Rishabh Pant?

KL Rahul and Wriddhiman Saha are India's options to replace Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
KL Rahul and Wriddhiman Saha are India's options to replace Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.

Team India is expected to make a string of changes ahead of the five-match Test series against England, and one of them might be bringing in Wriddhiman Saha or KL Rahul in place of Rishabh Pant.

Rishabh Pant's failure in the World Test Championship (WTC) final saw quite the furore from experts and fans on social media. The manner of his dismissals in both innings was questioned after India's loss to the Kiwis.

Skipper Virat Kohli defended the Delhi batter, saying:

“We don't want him to lose his positivity or optimism in changing the situation for the team. We are not too worried. It is up to him to understand whether it was an error in judgment and rectify it moving forward."

However, speculations are rife that KL Rahul and Saha might be among the players to take over the gloves from Rishabh Pant when the series starts on August 4.


Is KL Rahul the first-choice wicketkeeper?

Most probably not. However, he is one of the keepers in the squad who is tipped to make the playing XI.

Rahul last donned his whites in 2019 against the West Indies. India blanked the hosts 2-0, but the Karnataka batter had scores of 13 and 6.

The second innings score all but confirmed the fact that he would be ousted as he scratched around for 63 balls before walking back to the pavilion.

It remains to be seen if Rahul comes at the cost of an all-rounder being sacrificed. For now, the chances are that he will find a spot in the side with Shubman Gill's injury forcing the think-tank to make changes.


Is Saha a better option to replace Rishabh Pant?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wriddhiman Saha (@wriddhi)

He may not have the flamboyance that Rishabh Pant does, but Saha is one of those reliable glovemen who can be counted on to get some handy runs. His last Test was in 2020, where he played just two matches.

England's swing-friendly conditions add to another reason why Saha needs to be brought in.

India might mostly go in with four pacers, and a safe pair of hands behind the stumps will boost their confidence in pitching the ball up further and trying to induce the edges.

The break will also serve as some downtime for Rishabh Pant, who can iron out the creases in his game. The team stressed they didn't want him to change his approach.

"Rishabh's definitely going to be an expressive player whenever he gets an opportunity...he assesses it really well and when things don't come off, you can say error in judgment, which is acceptable in sport," Kohli said post the final.

Who do you think is an ideal replacement for Pant?

You may also like