Worse, Saha’s indomitable ability to pick up niggles and injuries at the wrong time is not helping him as well as his batting abilities, which have deteriorated notably since his emergence. Rishabh Pant In the Indian Test horizon.
Minutes before the start of the third day’s play, Saha complained of a stiff neck on Saturday and another keeper, Bharat, who was doing his routine, was asked to work in the middle.
The pitch, which had variable bounce with the odd ball, was really low and climbing up a chance or two, Bharat put his best foot forward during 85.3 overs behind the stumps, taking two very different catches and a smart reflex. Stumping which could have gone wrong due to uneven bounce.
It was a baptism of fire for the 28-year-old veteran first-class cricketer, who has been an India A regular for the past three years.
“It ain’t easy if you’re not at 11 and then all of a sudden you have to come in,” hero of the day Axar Patel When PTI asked him about Bharat’s performance.
“Riddhi bhai had a stiff neck and he (India) was rehearsing and doing his own warm-up when he was suddenly told about 10 minutes before the proceedings began. It was too much to broadcast his thoughts in one go. It is not easy.
Patel praised the Andhra wicketkeeper, saying, “But as you see, how he collected the balls and how he took catches and influenced the stumping. He will get better in the days to come.”
Former India wicketkeeper and noted commentator Deep Dasgupta, who is in Kanpur to cover the match for the host broadcasters, believes what stood out for India was that the three were different catches.
He said, “He took Ashwin’s bowling short to get Will Young out. What Axar got was less. Ross Taylor That was where the ball bounced but it was in a good position to pick up,” Dasgupta told PTI.
“Stumping showed his quick reflexes as the ball bounced off the collectibles and bails out. So overall, he has a compact technique and is a bad idea if he is seen as a second keeper for the future. Won’t be,” she said.
The fact that Bharat has already played 78 first-class matches and scored over 4000 runs also puts him in a good position.
On top of this, his highest first-class score is 308 against Goa, a match where he opened the batting, remained at the crease for eight and a half hours and then kept wickets for over 130 overs in two innings in eight dismissals. has contributed.
“Since that opens up the batting, it also provides the team with options but I doubt you’ll want to look at any short-term solutions,” Dasgupta said.
However, he admitted that at the age of 37, Saha is not getting old.
Riddhi is still a prolific keeper in the prior Tests, but one has to realize that 22 injuries are easier to recover from than 37. As a batsman, he has always been a bit unconventional and a volatile start. said the player.
In Bengal cricket circles, who have watched Wriddhiman play for the state since playing under-19 and under-22, they feel that one of the big problems has been the closed mindset when it comes to general reform and taking responsibility. .
Since he plays only one format, there have been times when he has been offered to lead Bengal but he has always refused saying that he only wants to focus on his game.
As far as his batting is concerned, the way he batted in the Ranji Trophy for the first time against Hyderabad in 2007 has not improved a bit and technical flaws outside the off-stump still exist.
As for Saha, he is still the old school keeper, for whom keeping is primary and batting is secondary.
Till some time back he batted ahead Ravindra Jadeja And now he has been pushed down the order.
This is proof that the team knows he is a world class keeper, but doesn’t believe he can win matches with the bat like he did in the Irani Trophy for a few years with a brilliant double ton for Rest of India Was. Back.
He never had the improvisational skills of the great Mahendra Singh Dhoni nor can he carry a game in one session like the maverick Rishabh Pant.
Saha is stuck somewhere in the middle and if he plays the Mumbai Test despite being fit, it will be difficult for the team to handle him unless his batting improves.
India, on the other hand, has shown that the team cannot miss Saha for a long time.
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