WI vs IND: Could Rishabh Pant be dropped for the second Test?

During India’s tour of West Indies, Rishabh Pant has been well under-par as the team’s designated wicketkeeper-batsman. Pant has gotten off to good starts on many occasions, only to throw his wicket away with a rash shot. His failure to convert starts into good scores has not only become a big headache for him but also for the team management. After the T20I and ODI series, it was believed that he would finally come good after the vote of confidence given to him over Wriddhiman Saha. But in the first Test at Antigua, he got out for meagre scores of 24 and 7. This has again raised questions over his inclusion.

Pant’s performances in numbers

Apart from his innings of 65 runs in one of the T20Is, the tour has overall been a big disappointment for Pant. He has only managed to score 120 runs so far across all the three formats. These include 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs and 1 Test match. If you leave out his knock of 65, he has played 9 innings averaging a lowly 9.1, scoring only 55 runs. Before the tour, chief selector MSK Prasad had expressed his confidence in Pant. He stated that Pant would be given a long rope in the team. But with an experienced campaigner like Saha in the squad, will the team management opt to continue with the Pant gamble?

Saha knocking on the doors

Saha has been in excellent form in the limited opportunities given to him during the Caribbean tour. In the matches against West Indies A, Saha scored 2 half-centuries in 3 matches. In another one of his innings, he was unbeaten on 9. He was at the crease and helped the team get over the line for a victory.

Who will India pick?

With his performances, Saha has made a strong case to be included in the second Test match in Jamaica. Saha may not be an attacking batsman like Pant but is undoubtedly a reliable performer. He has bailed India out of tough situations on many occasions. It will now be up to skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri to decide who fits the team combination better. While Pant will look to rectify his mistakes, Saha will be eager to make a long-awaited comeback to international cricket.