India vs England 2021: Team India might play with Rishabh Pant as wicketkeeper in Tests against England
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The youngster Rishabh Pant hogged the limelight after his lion-hearted knock both in Sydney and Brisbane. After his riveting performance in Australia, Indian team management might discard their old plan of playing Wriddhiman Saha at home and Pant outside Asia.
Pant’s weak wicket-keeping skills were the reason why he wasn’t played in Tests in India. He has played just two of his 16 Tests in India and they came almost over two years ago.
After his heroics with the bat, the selectors feel that he has the edge over Saha, though, the former needs to buckle a lot on his wicket-keeping skills.
Though it is considered risky not to play a conventional wicket-keeper on Indian pitches, former India stumper Kiran More said that Pant will come good as Indian tracks offer many chances to dismiss batsmen.
“Rishabh will do a good job. He will make a few mistakes, no doubt. He is 23. You are comparing a 23-year-old with a 36-year-old. Saha has more experience, he has less. When Rishabh learns with experience he will become top wicketkeeper-batsman,” More told IANS.
Pant will enjoy keeping the wickets
“I think he (Rishabh) will enjoy keeping wickets [in India] more. It is challenging, but on pitches supporting turn I always enjoyed keeping wickets. You are always in the game. You get a lot of opportunities also. You might miss a couple but you will always get chances whereas on flatter wickets, it is very difficult to keep wickets because hardly any ball comes to you. As far as your concentration is concerned, you are always on the ball,” added More.
The first Test match between India and England will get underway in Chennai, on February 5.
Also read: India vs England 2021: Wasim Jaffer picks India’s playing XI for first Test in Chennai
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Sahil Sethi
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