The conundrum concerning India’s first-choice wicket-keeper for the T20I format, is appalling to an extent. A wicket-keeper is a vital cog in the wheel of any cricket team, irrespective of the format. In the absence of Rishabh Pant and the sudden omission of Ishan Kishan in T20s, the battle for the role of gloves-man is turning out to be dicey.
Given the fact that IPL is around the corner, importance will obviously be given in abundance to its current form. Let us look at the likely contenders for the wicket-keeper’s slot come the T20I World Cup and narrow down on the best possible option.
1. Ishan Kishan
India’s U-19 World Cup skipper of the 2016 edition has come a long way in carving a niche for himself in international cricket, predominantly in the white-ball formats of the game. Ishan Kishan drew major attention when he had a stellar season in the UAE leg of the IPL back in 2020. He amassed an aggregate of 516 runs in that season at a strike rate of 145.76, thereby playing a major role in winning the title for Mumbai Indians. Ishan was drafted into the national team a few months later, and he received his maiden T20 International cap when he debuted against England in early 2021. What made his debut noteworthy, was that he scored a boundary in the first ball he faced, that too of a certain Jofra Archer. In the 32 matches that Ishan has represented India in T20 Internationals, he has not lived up to the standard he sets for himself. Still, one cannot question the promise he showcases. With a double hundred under his belt in white-ball cricket already, albeit in a different format, Ishan has the potential to serve long-term as a wicket-keeper batsman in T20Is for India.
2. Jitesh Sharma
Jitesh came to the fore when he impressed one and all in the IPL, representing Punjab Kings with his quickfire innings lower down the order and neat glove work. His breakthrough season was in 2015-16, where he finished as the 3rd highest run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 343 runs in the tournament. A couple of seasons down in the IPL since 2022, Jitesh has struck at an impressive rate of more than 150 and has buoyed the hopes of his franchise with his blitzkrieg knocks. He made his International debut at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year, where India emerged as the eventual champions. Since then, he has featured regularly in the T20I squad and lately, has become the go-to man for India in his designated role. Jitesh flaunts a flamboyant approach to his batting and has all the fancy shots regarding the T20 mode of batsmanship, making him a potent player in the latter half of an innings.
3. KL Rahul
One might opine that Lokesh Rahul is lagging behind Jitesh Sharma or Ishan Kishan regarding the sequence of choice in T20s. Rahul donned the gloves for the first time at a senior level in IPL a couple of seasons back, when he was the captain of his then franchise Kings XI Punjab. This move enabled him to field an additional batsman in their playing XI, which made a significant difference to the balance of their side. It eventually proved an eye-opener for our national selectors, who decided to play Rahul as a wicket-keeper batsman in ODIs. In the recently concluded ODI World Cup, KL Rahul registered 17 dismissals under his name, with 16 catches and a solitary stumping. His reputation as a batter is well-established, and on his day, Rahul can win matches on his own, be it at the top of the order as an opener or in the middle order.
4. Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson lit up the Feroz Shah Kotla, making everyone sit up and take notice in 2017 when he blasted his way to a 31-ball 61-run knock versus the Gujarat Lions in the IPL. His 143-run partnership with Rishabh Pant that evening not only kept Delhi Daredevils’ hopes alive for a knockout berth but also blew an air of optimism amongst cricket fans about the future of Indian cricket. Of the current crop of relatively young Indian cricketers, Samson leads the chart in terms of fanbase and social media popularity by a distant margin. However, once deemed as a prodigy, Samson has not done enough to repay his supporters’ faith in him, and although his ODI statistics are quite impressive, his T20I numbers have hit an impasse. One of his primary points of concern is that in the quest to exhibit a fearless brand of cricket, he often throws his wicket away landing his team in a spot of bother. Leadership responsibility in the IPL has allowed him to reflect on his drawbacks, and if recent form is a sign of things to come, then Sanju Samson might not be far away from making a T20I comeback.
5. Rishabh Pant
Last but not least, it would be fair to mention the bleak outside chance that Rishabh Pant has of cutting. Slated to return to the IPL after a lengthy absence from cricket, all eyes will be on Rishabh as he takes charge of Delhi Capitals. It is not sure whether he will keep wickets this season; hence, on pragmatic terms, the possibility of him being considered a wicket-keeper for the T20 World Cup seems improbable.
The pedigree on offer for an experienced campaigner like KL Rahul undeniably makes him a strong contender for a World event. Once everyone is available in T20I, there won’t be any room to fit in a top-order batter, and the only viable vacancy will be in the middle or lower middle-order. In this scenario, KL Rahul might just get the nod ahead of Jitesh Sharma because the latter is still a novice.