ENG vs IND: 3 reasons why Wriddhiman Saha should replace Rishabh Pant as wicket-keeper for England series
When Rishabh Pant was dismissed in the World Test Championship (WTC) final while trying to slog Trent Boult, it raised question marks over his temperament and ability to see out testing sessions.
Pant also did not look entirely convincing against the wobbling ball with the wicket-keeping gloves and many believe India should play Wriddhiman Saha as the specialist wicket-keeper for the upcoming five-Test series against England.
Saha has been with the Test side for a long time now and after India were shot out for 36 by Australia in the Adelaide Test, he has had to cool his heels on the sidelines watching Rishabh Pant don the wicket-keeping gloves.
In this article, we will take a look at the three reasons why Wriddhiman Saha should play as India's regular wicket-keeper in the upcoming series against England.
#1 Wriddhiman Saha is India's best wicket-keeper
Due to the swing-friendly conditions on offer in England, it becomes imperative that India play their best wicket-keeper. Wriddhiman Saha, who is arguably the country's best wicket-keeper, has given countless examples of his superior skills against the wobbling red ball.
India might go in with four pacers and a safe option behind the stumps will boost their confidence in pitching the ball up further and trying to induce the edges. In England, the ball wobbles after passing the bat and this is where India would be well-served to play Wriddhiman Saha as he possesses the technique and nifty footwork to be safe behind the stumps.
#2 Play Rishabh Pant as a counter-attacking batsman
If India are looking to play Rishabh Pant in the playing XI, they can include him as a batsman and relieve him of the wicket-keeping duties. It will allow him to focus on his batting and India will be well-served with his services in the lower-middle order.
It will also enable Wriddhiman Saha to focus on his wicket-keeping duties, which will play a big factor in India trying to win or draw the five-Test series against England.
The importance of playing a genuine wicket-keeper in Tests on English soild cannot be stated enough, and India should ideally look to include Saha in their playing XI.
#3 Wriddhiman Saha is no mug with the bat
For all the panache Rishabh Pant possesses, Wriddhiman Saha is a handy batsman himself. Over the years, Saha has shown that he can prolong his stay at the crease and put a price-tag on his wicket. His defensive technique in the lower-middle order might help India bat out time if the need arises.
Saha has a tight defensive game and is a good player of spin bowling. England might bombard him with short balls, but in the limited chances he has received to showcase his ability with the bat, Saha has shown that he is willing to learn and put in the hard yards to get the job done when needed.
He can also dominate spinners, which is a great trait to have as England skipper Joe Root might use his tweakers to give some respite to his quicker bowlers.