Three Young Wicket-Keepers who Can Replace Wriddhiman Saha in Tests
Published - 04 Jun 2018, 04:56 PM | Updated - 22 Aug 2024, 11:52 PM
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India’s Test wicket-keeper batsman, Wriddhiman Saha has made the spot his own with his brilliant wicket-keeping abilities since the retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the five-day format of the game.
The wicket-keeper from Bengal has been scintillating behind the stumps and had hardly put a foot wrong.
However, there have been a lot of debate over his batting abilities. The pocket-sized dynamo has also answered his criticisers with the bat in due time.
However, with age cropping up, injuries have started taking a toll on his body. The 33-year old Saha missed two Test matches in South Africa early this year and will also miss the upcoming Afghanistan Test match.
Parthiv Patel donned the wicket-keeping gloves in place of Saha. However, his performance was below par for a Test wicket-keeper. As a result, BCCI have called in-form Dinesh Karthik for the upcoming Test.
Meanwhile, the apex body needs to look into the future and identify prospects for that vital positions. Three possible replacement of Saha In Test cricket:
Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson was long tipped to be MS Dhoni’s successor since his fantastic performance in the IPL 2013. Having made his India debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe, Samson has been a forgotten man.
But still just 23, he is staking a claim to Dhoni’s throne yet again with a fantastic 2017. Some back to back tons in the Ranji Trophy has seen his stock rise.
He continued his form in this edition of IPL, playing some crucial knocks for Rajasthan Royals. The elegant batsman from Kerala registered 441 runs from 15 games and is a treat to watch.
However, he has a lot of time to improve his keeping skills and is one of the possible contenders to replace Saha.
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant stamped his authority along with international stars in the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League. Although his team finished last on the table, he was spectacular with the bat.
Rishabh Pant finished as the second highest run-scorer with 684 runs including an unbeaten hundred.
However, he is yet to get a foot in the Indian team having already played four T20Is.
However, Pant needs to work on his glovework and has ample time with him, considering he is just 20. The southpaw will be a threat to any bowlers in the coming days if he keeps going in this form.
Ishan Kishan
The wicket-keeper batsman from Jharkhand made a long-lasting impression in the recently concluded IPL. He scored 275 runs for Mumbai Indians at a healthy average for the Mumbai Indians.
Ishan Kishan was also decent behind the stumps registering nine catches and two stumpings.
Moreover, in Ranji 2017-18 season, Ishan has scored 484 with four fifties to his name at an average of 44.00, which speaks volumes of his ability.
The southpaw has already struck a daddy double-hundred in first-class cricket and will look to do better banking on his IPL experiences. However, he needs proper grooming and can be a force to reckon with in the future.
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