India’s former opening batsman Gautam Gambhir has stated that Rishabh Pant deserves to be in Test team over Wriddhiman Saha. Pant has grabbed his opportunities with both hands in the Test team as he had scored a fine hundred in England and Australia. Thus, it is fair that Pant gets more chances whereas Saha will need to wait for his chance.
On the other hand, India’s former wicket-keeper batsman Syed Kirmani had said that Wriddhiman Saha should be included in India’s playing XI in place of Rishabh Pant for the second Test match against West Indies. Pant had an ordinary first Test match as he scored 24 and eight runs in the opening match.
Pant has grabbed his opportunities.
Pant has an average of 45.44 in the 10 Test matches he has thus far played. The southpaw batsman has scored 727 runs in the 17 innings.
‘When someone (Pant) is averaging 48 (45.43 actually) with the bat and scored a hundred each in England and Australia, he deserves to be playing Test cricket. Saha needs to wait for his opportunity as Pant has grabbed his opportunity with both hands,’ Gambhir told PTI.
On the other hand, Wriddhiman Saha last played a Test match for India against South Africa in 2018. Subsequently, he was injured and Pant was able to grab his chance in Saha’s absence.
Kirmani had stated that Saha should be given equal chances.
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“Saha, unfortunately, had some injury problems. He has to be given equal opportunity. What’s the point of keeping him in the side, if you do not give him chance,” Kirmani questioned.
“We have to judge on pure performance. Saha came to Indian side following his consistency at the domestic level. But when you’re out of the picture, somebody else takes over your place, so the likes of Karthik and Pant came into the picture.
“Now we have to see who’s is more consistent on the field — be it in batting, wicketkeeping or in terms of all-round abilities,” Kirmani concluded.
India will play their second Test match against West Indies from 30th August at Jamaica. The visitors lead the series by 1-0 after they had clinched the first match by 318 runs.
