Despite opener issues Australia remain deserved Test series favourites against India — so is selecting Rishabh Pant a risk the tourists need to take?
Pant’s 73-ball ton against Australia A was a timely reminder of the damage he can do at the back-end of an innings.
Blasting 22 from the final over to get there, the diminutive left-hander dazzled under lights, cracking the pink ball to all parts of an empty SCG.
The innings even impressed an otherwise cranky Allan Border, on commentary for Fox Cricket.
While it was an impressive knock, there are certain caveats too.
Pant brought up the century when the tour game was meandering, with the pressure gauge dialled down.
The bowling, too, was limited at that stage of Day 2.
But there’s little doubting his unique ability to take the game away from an opposition in short time.
Both his Test tons (away against England and Australia) attest to that.
The Indian selectors now face the unenviable task of picking between Pant and Wriddhiman Saha, who remains the frontrunner.
Saha has his nose in front largely because of Pant’s poor last 12 months.
In his past two Test series (against the West Indies and New Zealand), the left-hander has failed to pass 30.
He also had a lacklustre IPL this season, scoring just one half-century in 14 innings at a strike rate of 113.95.
Saha, by contrast, passed 50 twice in just four games, ticking along at an impressive 139.86 for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The veteran is also, by any measure, the cleaner gloveman who is the obvious choice when India play at home or on other tricky wickets.
Rishabh Pant of India (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
Saha is wonderful to watch when Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are making it grip and spit off a length.
However, the prospect of wicket-keeping on these shores is a far easier task, and arguably the most straightforward in the world.
Australian wickets provide the pace (albeit, not as it once was) and carry that means a ‘solid’ (rather than outstanding) keeper can often suffice.
As such, bypassing Saha isn’t the risk it is in other conditions.
While the headlines this week are focused on Australia finding a competent opening pair, it’s easy to forget that the home side start this series as relatively strong favourites.
If Justin Langer’s side plays to their ability, they will win.
Their favouritism is reinforced when skipper Virat Kohli heads home after just one Test.
It’s India, then, that could be forced to make the aggressive selections to swing the ledger.
Pant is that aggressive pick.
Picking him could be the move it needs to make in a series it starts as underdogs in.
There’s a school of thought in selection that one should opt for a player the opposition would least like to see in the XI.
And in this case, Australia would be far less wary of Saha than they are of Pant.
The 23-year-old got going in all seven innings last time he toured Australia.
His lowest score was 25, and he finished the series with 350 runs (second only to Cheteshwar Pujara) at a strike rate of 73.99 — higher than any other player.
And it’s this aspect of his game that could give India an x-factor.
If Pujara (with the help of Ajinkya Rahane) can replicate his form of 2018-19 and ground-down Australia’s frontline quicks, having a player like Pant who can strike at a run-a-ball later in the innings can completely shift the momentum of a Test match.
The Gilchrist role, if you will.
Pant remains the only Indian wicketkeeper to score Test centuries in both Australia and England, and has a first-class average of just under 50.
Saha might be a safer option, but Pant is the player who may just play a crucial role in India’s quest for back-to-back victories on Australian soil.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I assume Stokes will be part of it regardless.
Tanmoy K.
Guest
In a Day-night Pink-ball Test match where the ball will seam around, I shall prefer a best wicket keeper and a defensive batsman than a flamboyant one like Pant. He may be tried later on.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Pant will get dropped for sure.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Pant when it's all over? Getting wet there mate.
deepoz
Roar Rookie
I reckon, the recipe for India to win is to make runs. Their bowlers are capable of taking 20 wickets on any wicket now. While Saha is not a bad bat at all, Pant is definitely a better choice. Pant is a batsman who feeds on his confidence going into the series, whatever may be the opposition, and that knock under the lights would have done that. I would definitely select him after that knock. As you rightly said, wicket keeping is not a great factor in that decision making.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Will India drop Pant or will Pant rise up?
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Pants upside is much better than Pants downside
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I think you can punt on Pant, all that pent up energy in that pint sized body. It's what pont-ing told me.
U
Roar Rookie
Pant’s upside is that much better than Saha. He can take a game away from the opposition.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think some are forgetting the wicketkeeper's role, first and foremost, is to keep wicket and in that regard, Saha is a clear winner. This is a series where getting out a very strong Australian batting lineup enough times to win the series will be a tough task and India can ill afford to gift any chances to the likes of Warner, Labuschagne or Smith. Pant is far more likely to do that than Saha, so leave him in dayglo as a drinks man for at least the first couple of Tests and see how things go.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Out and out pace definitely the better though having at least one in the mix with command of seam and swing (like Hazlewood for Aus) always good.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Makes sense to go with Pant, adding another option who can make a big score. Though Saha batted well in the first Aus A game against a strong attack. And I wouldn’t underrate keeping ability when the ball is moving around and catches behind are in play, as in Adelaide.
Ian
Roar Rookie
A very interesting post David.I'm in the UK now and have been pleasantly surprised about the amount of interest there is in this series here.BT sports are showing the entire series on pay per view and the BBC will have the ball by ball coverage from the ABC as usual. I hope the Indians do pick Pant as he's such an exciting player.He seems to either get going or get out...nothing wrong with that! The cricket world here are very keen to see how the Indian bowlers perform.They're are 2 schools of thought here as regards next years Ashes.Should we bring an all out pace attack ( Archer/Wood/Stone) and try to do a 1954/55 Frank Tyson and blast your men out or take the safer option and go down the Anderson,Broad,Stokes,Curren road again.Personally I go for the former.The latter didn't do well last time out did they? IMO the key to winning in Australia is to get your batting right before anything else.England won in 2010/11 because Cook and co put up big totals and gave their bowlers plenty to bowl at.Indian won last time in Australia by doing that to.Hopefully it will be a great series.You're very lucky to be there to enjoy it.We're lurching from fiasco to shambles and back again here.It's looking like we could have another bio secure test summer next year.If that's the case the England boys wont know whats hit them when they walk out at the Gabba in front of more than 3 men and a dingo. Anyway,here's hoping for some great test cricket and may the best team win....as long as that's not Australia!
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
It’s a conundrum for selectors. A keeper who can bat or one who is a specialist who is efficient behind the stumps. I can recall watching Alan Knott who filled both roles I.e. a neat glove man who scored valuable runs. For some time in first class cricket, the keeper normally bats at 7 & possesses the ability to bat with the tail. My hazy memory recalls Doug Ford batting lower than that with NSW. Am I correct? Are there others in first class cricket over the years?
The Sports Lover
Roar Rookie
It sounds like a nice problem to have. I think it’s important to stick with the incumbent to demonstrate loyalty and trust. That’s why I would choose Burns as my opener in the Australian team. If Saha fails to deliver the expected goods, by all means replace him with Pant.