Wriddhiman Saha Likely To Get Nod As Rishabh Pant Flops In Audition For 1st Test Against Australia

Rishabh Pant has further dented his chances of retaining his spot in the playing eleven for the upcoming Test against Australia with a poor display in the ongoing tour game. The pink-ball three-day fixture is the last tour game for the Indian players before the Border-Gavaskar Series gets underway on December 17.

The young wicketkeeper-batsman has been India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in overseas Tests thanks to his batting ability and the pitches not being rank turners. However, the Indian team-management showed that they would not shy away from playing Wriddhiman Saha by choosing the veteran for the first tour game while Rishabh Pant warmed the bench.

Saha was out for a duck in the first innings but made amends with an unbeaten fighting fifty in the second innings, helping India A avoid an embarrassing defeat in the three-day fixture. And for the ongoing second tour game, the team-management played both the wicketkeepers.

As expected, all eyes were on Rishabh Pant but he failed to deliver once again. He could score just 5 before being sent back by Jack Wildermuth. Saha, on the other hand, was yet to open his account at the time of writing this report. As far as the game is concerned, India were reeling at 111 for 6 after Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bat first.

Rishabh Pant’s lean patch:

Not very long ago, Rishabh Pant was widely regarded as MS Dhoni’s heir. However, the highly-rated player is now struggling to hold on to his place in the national team. Things have not gone well for him in the last one year or so. Earlier this year, he lost his place in the playing eleven of India’s ODI and T20I teams.

And in October, he was dropped from India’s limited-overs squads for the ongoing tour of Australia. Rishabh Pant had also warmed the bench through the entire home season last year with the team preferring Saha. He was recalled to the playing eleven for the Test series in New Zealand but failed to deliver.

Also Read: Australia Set To Give Shock Recall To Veteran For 1st Test Against India, Justin Langer Drops Hint

Also Read: Michael Clarke Reveals His Choice For The Next Australian Captain