As India prepares for the pink ball test against Australia in Adelaide, selecting a goalkeeper would be one of the challenges for the management of the Indian team. Both Rishabh Pant and Wriddhiman Saha have proved their mettle in preparation games against Australia A.
While Saha scored a fifty in the first game of the tour, Pant marked his return between runs in the second inning of the pink ball practice game at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. As both stumpers have made the selection process difficult for the coach and captain, former Indian hitter Sanjay Manjrekar has revealed his choice.
The cricketer-turned-commentator went with Saha while answering a question on the microblogging site, Twitter. He said that the wicketkeeper should be chosen based on his wicketkeeping skills in the tests.
“In testing you always have to take skills into account. Drop a Steve Smith early and you’ll get a 200! So Saha. You also need a better goalkeeper against rhythm in Australia. Saha again, ”Manjrekar tweeted.
Here’s the tweet:
In the first practice match against Australia A, Saha was named in the game XI ahead of Pant. The first delivered with a well-made undefeated fifty that came back, strengthening the Indians’ entrances after the higher order failed.
However, in the next game on the tour, Pant put on the gloves while Saha played batter. Both failed to perform in the early innings, but Pant came back strong, scoring the seventh century first-class of his career. He scored 103 unbeaten on 73 balls, including nine fours and six six.
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