Parthiv Patel Retirement, India
Parthiv Patel. Credit: Getty Images

India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has named Wriddhiman Saha as the best keeper-batsman in Test cricket currently. Patel believes that Saha should start ahead of Rishabh Pant in Test matches.

Earlier in the year, Rishabh Pant was picked in the eleven over Wriddhiman Saha which angered some fans. No doubt, Saha is a better keeper than Pant; however, the left-hander did have a fantastic start to his Test career with the bat- Pant is the only Indian keeper in the history to record a hundred in Australia and England.

Wriddhiman Saha
Wriddhiman Saha. Credit: Twitter

There is no comparison: Parthiv Patel

Parthiv Patel sees daylight between Saha and other keeping options the Indian team currently has. He opines that if the right-hander is fit, he should be starting every game – home and away.

The belief in the Indian team has been that Saha’s keeping abilities are required more in the Indian conditions, and they need Pant’s batting on an overseas tour, which can compensate for his keeping. Saha kept wickets in the 5 home Test matches last year against South Africa and Bangladesh, while Pant played in New Zealand.

Parthiv Patel told cricket.com, “I have always maintained that Saha is your best wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket. There is no comparison with anyone, as long as he is fit. As long as he is there, he should be keeping for India in Test cricket – whether you are playing abroad or India – Saha is your guy as long as he is fit.”

KL Rahul
KL Rahul (Credits: BCCI)

The 35-year-old believes that while KL Rahul is a decent wicket-keeper and should be keeping the limited-overs cricket, he has a lot of work to do if he wants to keep gloves in Test cricket. The RCB gloveman suggests Rahul should first do wicketkeeping in four-day matches.

“That’s a tough call. KL’s glovework is fantastic, there is no doubt about it. Test cricket is completely different. You have got to start ‘keeping in four-day cricket first. It’s not the easiest thing to do. I would give it a long thought before thinking that KL could do the job in all formats. But one-day, T20, definitely KL,” Parthiv Patel added.

While KL Rahul will keep in all 6 of the white-ball games on the Australia tour, it would be interesting to see who is picked in the Test side; a keeper who can bat, or a batsman who can keep.

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