Wriddhiman Saha to replace Pant for Test series opener against South Africa
Visakhapatnam: Wriddhiman Saha will replace the struggling Rishabh Pant in the Indian line-up for the first Test against South Africa, captain Virat Kohli announced here on Tuesday, calling the Bengal player the "best wicketkeeper" in the world.
The 34-year-old Saha was out of the team for a long time due to injury and came back into the side during the two-Test series in the West Indies in August. However, he did not get to play there and Pant kept wickets in both the games.
"Yes Saha is fit and fine to go. He is going to start the series for us. His keeping credentials are for everyone to see. He has done well with the bat whenever he has got a chance," said Kohli on the eve of the first Test. "It was unfortunate that he was out with an injury. According to me he is the best keeper the world. With these conditions he starts for us," he added.
Saha last played a Test during the South Africa tour in January 2018 before being hampered by a shoulder injury, followed by a thumb problem. Pant burst on to the scene in his absence and with centuries in England and Australia, became the team's number one wicketkeeper in the longest format.
However, the 21-year-old has been coping criticism for reckless stroke-making and that may have have been a factor in the team management's decision to start with Saha. Saha has played 32 Tests, scoring 1164 runs at 30.63. Kohli said the team management wanted to ease Saha back into the team and that is one of the reasons he did not play in the Caribbean.
"We felt like Rishabh, given the opportunities, had done well. Although Saha was always going to start but we felt like just let him ease back into things rather than just forcing him into starting immediately.
"We all felt he has just come back, although he is keeping well, batting well but, it's fair to give Rishabh a few more opportunities because of what he has done in the past season for us," Kohli explained.
The skipper said Saha was always going to be the first choice in the traditional format.
"...Saha was always the one we would back as a pure keeper in Test cricket. He has done well under pressure situations in the past for us, so it was just about finding the right opportunity and the moment to bring him back in.
"And you need to be wary in a team environment where you understand when to bring a player back and when to give another guy more opportunities" he reasoned.
"I felt for now, it's the right time for Saha to come back and get in to his zone," said Kohli.
The skipper also made it clear that Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be two specialist spinners in the playing eleven with Hanuma Vihari being the third spin option, leaving out Kuldeep Yadav. Jadeja had played both the Tests in the West Indies while Ashwin warmed the bench.
Asked about Ashiwn's current role in the team, Kohli said: "Yes, Ashwin will start. Ashwin and Jadeja both will start here. Look Jaddu we felt was in a better zone as far as performing overseas and and what he has done in the past season for the team.
"Wherever the conditions provide us to go with two spinners, Ash is always going to be a threat and in home conditions with his batting and the way he bowls as well he is always going to be starting with Jadeja. That was a no brainer for us," he added.
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
