England vs India 2018 - Why Rishabh Pant Must Debut at Lord's?

Just when it seemed that India would get off to winning ways in the Test series against England, disaster struck, as the visitors began day four of the Edgbaston Test on a somber note. Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik got dismissed right in the first over of the day to a delivery going away from James Anderson. It was right then that questions were thought of – what if a certain Rishabh Pant played the Test?

There is a clear reason, why pundits back home in India rate Rishabh Pant so highly. The attacking southpaw has based his game on pure aggression and with that short stature of his, resembles a lot of Sanath Jayasuriya in his approach.

From the first-class front as well, the dynamite keeper has some impressive numbers to boast about in his case. An average of 54.50 to go with a strike rate in excess of 95 is simply phenomenal and he already has four centuries to his credit.

Debut at Lord’s?

Given the way Dinesh Karthik’s stay in both innings looked painful, there is a clear case for Rishabh Pant to debut at the picturesque Lord’s. When it comes to making debut, Lord’s has been a memorable venue for the Indians to set the stage on fire.

Stalwarts like Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly have proven that, and there is tremendous merit in the case of Rishabh Pant.

He has been in England for quite a while with the India A side earlier and now with the main team. Having said that, the time he had spent in England under the astute coaching of Rahul Dravid would be priceless from a long term perspective.

With scores of 3, 67*, 58 and 61 in the four innings, Pant had batted in out here, recent form is no worry for the young wicketkeeper. By now, Rishabh Pant would have got well acclimatized to the conditions in England and this could be handy.

The Numbers Game – 

Dinesh Karthik’s numbers do not reflect any confidence what so ever. Barring just one good tour he had here 11 years ago, his overall career stats paint a moderate picture. To average just 26.25 in his Test career, a lot of games where he has played as a pure batsman, is far from showcasing his talent.

Such numbers are far from satisfying and given the present setup of the Indian lineup, someone with a more fresh approach is needed.

India’s other injured prospect, Wriddhiman Saha too doesn’t have extraordinary numbers to boast off either. A career batting average slightly above 30 is once again under the radar and with Saha’s age too not backing his case; its high time India invests in Rishabh Pant.

What can Rishabh Pant offer?

Slotting in at number six or seven depending upon the combination, Pant surely has it in him to replicate the success of MS Dhoni, if not Adam Gilchrist.

England keeper Jonny Bairstow has been the most successful keeper batsman in the international arena for quite a while now. A clear reason behind that has been his free flowing aggressive, yet controlled approach. Coming in at number five, Bairstow can assess the situation and then take his team to a decent position.

This is precisely what a Rishabh Pant can bring to the table. Yes, there might be some flaws in his technique. But how can one overlook him on the basis of an assumption alone and not trying him out. There is a lot of potential in Pant, and that needs to get tested.

Another factor in Rishabh Pant’s favour is that he is a full-time wicketkeeper. One must remember that for a few seasons in the past, Dinesh Karthik had given up on the gloves for Tamil Nadu. Karthik’s keeping in the first Test too was far from satisfying, as he dropped a sitter on the first day.

Bottom Line –

Debuting overseas is far from an easy task for any individual. However, that mountain has been scaled before by a few Indians and Pant could be another addition in that prestigious list. Someone, who can change the game within the matter of a session, needs to be backed.

The second match of the five-match Test series against England would begin on Thursday (August 9th) at the Lord’s.