Tough To Pick Between Rishabh Pant And Wriddhiman Saha As Both Are In Good Form: Hanuma Vihari

Middle-order batsman, Hanuma Vihari opines that it is a tough call to choose one keeper-batsman between Rishabh Pant and Wriddhiman Saha for the first Test against Australia. The 4-match Test series commences on 17th December in Adelaide with a day-night contest to be played with a pink ball.

The second warm-up match between India and Australia A ended in a draw on Sunday. Both the teams were dismissed in their first innings on day 1. On the back of centuries from Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant, India scored 386/4, and Australia A batted out the third day. Saha scored a duck in the first innings, and did not get to bat in the second.

Healthy competition is always good for the team: Hanuma Vihari

When Pant was left out from the first practice match, it felt that Saha will be preferred over the left-hander in the Test series as well. But later it was revealed that Pant has a sore neck and hence didn’t play. Saha, regarded as the best gloveman in the country, grabbed his opportunity as he scored 54* in the second innings after scoring a duck in the first.

However, now since Pant returned in the second warm-up match and scored a scintillating hundred in just 73 balls – he took 22 runs from the last over of the day to bring up his ton – it makes a difficult choice for the Indian management between the two.

Hanuma Vihari, who also scored a hundred alongside Pant, says that it is a happy headache as both the players are in good form and it will be a tough call for Virat Kohli. Vihari reckons that healthy competition is good for the team.

For the opening spot alongside Mayank Agarwal, three batsmen are in contention- KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, and Rohit Sharma for the last two Test matches as he is declared fit and soon will be on a flight to Australia.

Also as Ishant Sharma is ruled out of the Test series, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Siraj, and Navdeep Saini will be vying for the third seamers spot to bowl with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

“Healthy competition is always good for the team and I feel, for every spot, we have good competition. It all depends on team management as to whom they decide to pick. I feel both of them are looking in good form so it will be a tough call and a good headache,” Hanuma Vihari was quoted by the news agency, ANI.

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