Team India prefer Wriddhiman Saha at home because of his superior keeping skills.
See Also: ‘He will definitely improve’, Wriddhiman Saha on Rishabh Pant’s keeping skills
While the team management is yet to take a final call on the playing XI for the first Test against England, a report published in IANS suggests that the hosts may prefer Pant over Saha as they are likely to go with five bowlers.
With regular skipper Virat Kohli set to be back at No. 4 and Ajinkya Rahane at No. 5, Pant will most probably bat at No. 6 followed by a couple of bowling all-rounders in R Ashwin and Washington Sundar/Akshar Patel.
Although it is considered risky to not play a traditional wicket-keeper on Indian pitches, former India stumper Kiran More reckons Pant will get better with experience.
"Rishabh will do a good job. He will make a few mistakes, no doubt. He is 23. You are comparing a 23-year-old with a 36-year-old. Saha has more experience, he has less. When Rishabh learns with experience he will become top wicketkeeper-batsman," More told IANS.
"I think he (Rishabh) will enjoy keeping wickets [in India] more. It is challenging, but on pitches supporting turn I always enjoyed keeping wickets. You are always in the game. You get a lot of opportunities also. You might miss a couple but you will always get chances whereas on flatter wickets, it is very difficult to keep wickets because hardly any ball comes to you. As far as your concentration is concerned, you are always on the ball," he added.
Notably, Rishabh Pant has played just two of his 16 Tests in India and both the Tests came against the West Indies in 2018.
(With IANS inputs)