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Ever since MS Dhoni bid farewell from international cricket, the debate concerning India’s next wicket-keeper batsman has grown strong. Rishabh Pant was, in fact, the No.1 choice for the role, since Dhoni had played his last match in the 2019 World Cup. But Pant’s inconsistency with the bat has made way for KL Rahul to grab the wicketkeeper’s spot in white-ball cricket.
When it comes to the longest format, Wriddhiman Saha has been able to earn the trust of team management. Sanju Samson is another name who is up for the race in the T20Is.
But who is the better contender to replace Dhoni? Well, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has the answer. According to the BCCI president, Pant and Saha are the two best wicket-keeper batsmen in the country at present.
“He (Pant) and Wriddhiman Saha are our two best wicketkeeper-batsmen in the country,” Ganguly told PTI.
His bat swing will be back: Ganguly on Pant
Ganguly backed the potential of Pant, who struggled to play crucial knocks in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.
The Delhi Capitals (DC) wicket-keeper scored at a strike-rate below 115 in the thirteenth season of the cash-rich league. Ganguly said that Pant has got ‘tremendous’ talent, and his ‘bat swing’ will come back soon.
“Don’t worry. His bat swing will come back. He is a young guy, and all of us need to guide him. He’s got tremendous talent. Rishabh will be fine,” added the former Bengal cricketer.
Pant has not been picked in India squad for the upcoming limited-overs series against Australia but was selected for the Test series. Ganguly was recently asked whether Pant will play in the Test series as Saha is already a preferred choice in the oldest format. Responding to the question, Dada said: “Only one can play, so whoever is in the best form will play.”
The three-match ODI leg between India and Australia starts from Friday (November 27) at Sydney Cricket Ground. After which, both the teams will lock horns in three-match T20I series. Post the white-ball battle, India and Australia will meet in the 4-match Border-Gavaskar trophy which begins from December 17 at Adelaide Oval.
