Cricket News
Three replacement options for Rishabh Pant in Tests for India
The Indian team is now looking for a player who can fill in for Pant in the longest format of the game.
Last month, India’s star wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant was involved in a major car accident. After his near-death experience, it is expected that Pant will be out of action for at least six months. The star batter has been a vital cog in India’s success in red-ball cricket. The Indian team is now looking for a player who can fill in for Pant in the longest format of the game. In this article, we will look at the replacement options for Rishabh Pant in Tests for India.
#1 KS Bharat
KS Bharat (source: Twitter)
KS Bharat, who was a key member of the India A setup, advanced to being the reserve wicketkeeper for the India Test squad in the absence of one of Pant or Wriddhiman Saha. Bharat impressed with two catches and a stumping in a cameo as a replacement for Saha in the Kanpur Test against New Zealand.
In recent years, Bharat has come the closest to keeping wickets in a Test match after Pant. He had an excellent outing for India A against Bangladesh in Sylhet in December, scoring 77 and effecting five wickets, and has been Pant’s understudy in the Test squad for some time now.
#2 KL Rahul
KL Rahul (source: Twitter)
While KL Rahul is not a regular behind the stumps, he is included on the list because he does don the gloves in limited-overs cricket. Rahul has only played as a wicketkeeper once in the format when both Pant and Saha were ruled out of the touring Indians’ match against a County Select XI during their 2021 tour of England.
Despite his poor form, Rahul, India’s vice-captain and the last man to lead the team, is expected to play in the upcoming series against Australia. If the Indian team management looks beyond KS Bharat, Rahul can be a great option.
#3 Wriddhiman Saha
Wriddhiman Saha (source: Twitter)
Wriddhiman Saha is arguably one of the best wicketkeepers India has ever produced based solely on glovework. However, by the time MS Dhoni retired, Saha had begun to age, and his numerous injuries did not help his cause.
Saha revealed nearly a year ago that the Indian team management had informed him that they would be looking at other wicketkeepers. But that was when Pant was the undisputed first-choice Test wicketkeeper. He could be the underdog who returns to the team.
