IND vs AUS | Maybe it’s time to look at Rishabh Pant for second Test, feels Deep Dasgupta

Indian batting fell like a pack of cards on the Day 3 afternoon after Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ran through the Indian batting order. The damage was already done when Wriddhiman Saha came out to bat, but there was some faith in the wicket-keeper somehow standing up and delivering an innings but it never appeared. That brought the Pant vs Saha debate once again and Saha’s former Bengal teammate Dasgupta batted for the young Dellhite to instead be included for the second Test.

 “Couple of things, firstly he [Wriddhiman Saha] did not look comfortable, same with Prithvi . 2 innings, generally we say it’s just 2 innings we can’t judge, you shouldn’t judge, but again the look of it - both Prithvi and Wriddhiman just tells you that maybe it’s time you look at Rishabh - that’s one,” Deep Dasgupta said on Sports Today.

“And secondly, he was your first choice, you’ve given him an opportunity and he did not work. Again, it’s not just the quantum, it’s the way he was batting. So I think it’s time to get Rishabh, one.”

Given Kohli will leave the Aussie shore after the first Test for the birth of his first child, India will look at Shubman Gill as a replacement. Dasgupta feels adding Pant and Gill both will help sustain the middle-order momentum.

“And secondly, now that Virat is not there, you would want to bolster your batting. Obviously Rohit would not be available in the 2nd Test...so Rishabh for me, I think it’s time to get Rishabh,” he added.