Rishabh Pant Looks Set To Be Preferred Ahead Of Wriddhiman Saha For First Test Vs New Zealand

India are looking set to recall Rishabh Pant to the Test playing eleven for the upcoming two-match series against New Zealand, starting on February 21. The young wicketkeeper-batsman lost his place in the playing eleven at the start of the home season last year.

India had recalled Wriddhiman Saha in the playing eleven for the turning pitches. And one can say that the decision was inspired by the nature of the pitches rather than Rishabh Pant’s form. The youngster is yet to make a mark with his wicketkeeping and thus the team-management had little faith on him on the home pitches where ‘keeping is not at all easy.

But it looks like Rishabh Pant is now all set to earn his place back in the playing eleven. While the team-management is yet to reveal the wicketkeeper for the upcoming series, the recent turn of events and Rishabh Pant’s performance in overseas Tests pretty much prove that he would be the man behind the stumps against New Zealand.

In the ongoing warm-up game against New Zealand XI in Hamilton, Rishabh Pant kept the wickets at the start of the innings when the ball was doing the bit. Wriddhiman Saha, on the other hand hand, kept the wickets in the second innings.  The misfiring Delhi star staked a claim for himself by taking three catches as India bowled out the home side for 235.

Neither Saha nor Pant has played a single Test in New Zealand so far and the fact that the team-management asked the latter to keep the wickets at the start of the innings pretty much shows that the youngster is being readied for the upcoming Test.

The left-handed batsman failed to get going with the bat as he was out for just 7. However, Saha could not capitalise on it either and was dismissed for a six-ball duck. What strengthens Pant’s case is his performance in Tests outside India. He has already scored Test centuries in England and Australia. On the other hand, Saha is yet to prove himself with the bat in testing conditions. While he is yet to play in New Zealand and England, he has not crossed the 35-run mark in 4 matches that he has played in Australia and South Africa.