The Test series between the hosts New Zealand and the visitors India have started on Friday (21st February). One of the trending topics of the day one was Rishabh Pant, who replaced Wriddhiman Saha for the wicketkeeping role in the Indian team.
New Zealand and India are playing the opening game of the two-match Test series at Basin Reserve (Wellington). After winning the toss, New Zealand decided to field first.
For this first Test, India rested Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja, Navdeep Saini and Umesh Yadav.
Rishabh Pant last played a Test match in early September 2019:
It is the first international match for Pant since the Mumbai ODI against Australia (on 14th January 2020) where he was injured during batting.
In between this period, the 22-year-old played only one match and it was the three-day tour game on this New Zealand tour where the left-handed batsman scored seven and 70 runs respectively.
Last time, Pant played a Test match in last August-September during the Kingston Test against the hosts West Indies. Due to his struggling form, Pant was dropped from the Test-playing XI and Saha returned to the Test wicketkeeper’s role after battling with multiple injuries. Though Saha impressed hugely with his wicketkeeping skills, he hasn’t performed well with the bat yet.
While the Wellington Test is the first Test for India in 2020, the team management finally selected Pant in the Test playing XI.
Here are some top possible brief reasons why the team management has chosen Pant over Saha for the Wellington Test.
- Working on future prospects
- Giving more importance to batting in the tough and unfamiliar pitch
- Presence of at least one left-handed batsman
During the rain-interrupted game on day one of the Wellington Test, India finished on 122/5. While the Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane remained not out on 38 runs, opener Mayank Agarwal scored 34 runs.
At stumps, Rishabh Pant (10 not out) was batting with Rahane.
The Indian fans have mixed reactions on the wicketkeeping debate between Saha and Pant.
Here are some of these Twitter reactions:
Just up and see Saha is left out. We have just told every young keeper in India not to bother becoming the best in the world behind the stumps and instead focus on getting a few more runs in front of them. Disappointed.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 21, 2020
Two wrongs don’t make a right – first Pant shouldn’t have been dropped, and now that you got Saha back in, he too shouldn’t have been dropped
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) February 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/RishabPant777/status/1230666498047238146?s=20
Pant already played more deliveries than what Saha would've faced in the whole series
— arfan (@Im__Arfan) February 21, 2020
#Askstar @starsportsindia why world's best wicket kipper Saha is not playing? give logical ans…kyu aaj Kohli ko pant pe itna pyar aya he???
— Raj Thorat (@silentkiller_3) February 21, 2020
Woke up at 3:30 am to find out that Rishab Pant is playing instead of Saha
Me: pic.twitter.com/uJfDjqd5zy
— Ankit P (@Ankkit31) February 20, 2020
#AskStar How’s good this strategy is this ?? Rishabh Pant is aggressive batsman but din have place in T20s and 50 Over Game ? And Saha is best keeper and not getting game in Tests ? @VVSLaxman281 @jatinsapru
— Smit Agarwal ?? (@Smit_Agarwal) February 21, 2020
Its not specifically… About Kohli but people are just criticising the management for the sake of criticism!
U were the one who wanted pant in the team. Now that Saha is out, u feel for Saha…— Sarthak S Karkhanis (@ssarthaktweets) February 21, 2020
Earlier Ashwin/ Jadeja argument in overseas conditions n now Pant/Saha. I agree with you, not good for Saha. I am also worried what happens if Pant fails either as keeper or batsman , then what happens ?
— Cricketolitics (@iamuyeen) February 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/ig2015/status/1230720610105348096?s=20
Why pant is selected ahead of saha?? Wicketkeeping skills?? batting skill or bakbak skill???
— Dr.bhavesh solanki (@Drbhavesh080) February 21, 2020
Sir, but in overseas conditions, A Keeper who can also bat well, Earlier you also have praise Pant's keeping skills, and in Tests he has done fairly well, with both skills, Saha No doubt good keeper but what's the point who can't contribute by bat in overseas
— Amey (@amey_guthe) February 21, 2020
Saha is the best keeper..not the best wicket keeping batsman.. in overseas, u need runs more..yes Saha can bat well but pant is better as a batsman.. that's why he is selected ahead of Saha..
— Debashish Sarangi (@Plumb_infront) February 21, 2020
I think Pant is more effective in batting but it's only those 20 runs more. Saha saves more as keeping. I think in tests that's more crucial bcoz 20 wickets need to be taken!
— Yash (@yashcoolmint) February 21, 2020
The biggest disappointment after seeing our test match line up is not to see #SAHA’s name on it. #saha is the best wicket keeper in the world and somehow we end up playing #pant
Baffles me. Anyway, #Kohli & his team know more about cricket than me.
However, DISAPPOINTED.
— Prashanth (@YVPRASH) February 21, 2020
It's difficult to bat on such pitches, where the only mode of survival is attack. Pant can eat up a few deliveries and then launch a counterattack. Saha too can do it but not as effectively as Pant would. Not to forget that Pant has a hundred in England.
(3/n).
— Kaustubh Mayekar (@CatchPakad) February 21, 2020