India’s present selection committee loves playing it safe and it’s a no-brainer. Even in India’s recent selection for the tour of West Indies, the same thing has come to the fore again. They picked 34 years old Wriddhiman Saha over 25-year-old KS Bharat as reserve-wicket-keeper to Rishabh Pant for the two-match Test series against West Indies.
Saha will be making comeback to the team after a long injury lay-off. He was India’s first-choice wicket-keeper before hamstring, thumb and then shoulder injury ruled him out of contention with Rishabh Pant cementing his spot in the team as first-choice wicket-keeper after making centuries in England and Australia respectively.
Popular Cricket analyst and commentator, Harsha Bhogle tweeted, “I hope the selectors make it clear who the no 1 keeper for the tests is. Saha is clearly the better keeper, was the incumbent when injured. But if Pant is the keeper they want to go with, there is little to be gained by having Saha hanging around.”
I hope the selectors make it clear who the no 1 keeper for the tests is. Saha is clearly the better keeper, was the incumbent when injured. But if Pant is the keeper they want to go with, there is little to be gained by having Saha hanging around.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 21, 2019
With age not on his side, Saha is anything but a long-term option and it was perfect time for selectors to groom someone like KS Bharat, who has been doing well both as keeper and batsman in last year or so representing India A.