Wriddhiman Saha a better wicketkeeper than Rishabh Pant: Michael Bevan

Former Australia batsman Michael Bevan has called Wriddhiman Saha a better wicketkeeper than Rishabh Pant. The Pant vs Saha debate has rumbled on after Team India preferred the veteran over the youngster for the recently-concluded first Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. It was a surprising decision from the team-management.

Pant has been Team India’s preferred choice for the wicketkeeper’s role in overseas Tests. Earlier this year, he was behind the stumps in both the Tests in New Zealand while Saha kept the wickets for the entire home season last year. Pant was also backed to retain his spot in the Test playing eleven after scoring a 73-ball ton in the second tour game.

However, the Indian team management sprung a surprise by going with Saha for the Adelaide Test. Saha, on his part, failed to deliver with the bat, scoring 9 and 4 as India lost the game by eight wickets. His wicketkeeping was not at its usual best either as he missed a couple of tough chances.

Michael Bevan on Pant vs Saha

As the debate between who is better between Saha and Rishabh Pant rumbles on, Michael Bevan has given his opinion. The Australia great has called the former as the better wicketkeeper. He also stated that the team should not pick a wicketkeeper solely on his batting abilities. Bevan opined that the team-management need to make other decisions rather than changing the wicketkeeper to bolster the batting.

“I haven’t seen both (Pant and Saha) but from what I understand is that Saha is a better wicketkeeper. I think that when you are looking a batting line up, you don’t want to pick a keeper-batsman just because your batting line up isn’t performing,” Michael Bevan told CricketAddictor.

“If your batting line up isn’t performing, you just want to try and ensure that you are making the right changes that will enhance the batting line up,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pant could still get a chance in the upcoming Tests after India’s poor display in the Adelaide Test. Pant is widely considered as a better batsman than Saha and could be recalled to the playing eleven for the next Test. India’s lower middle-order failed to deliver in both the innings. In the first innings, India were on 188 for 3 at one stage before being all out for 244. In the second innings, they were all out for just 36 and lost the game by eight wickets.