When India decided to field Wriddhiman Saha ahead of Rishabh Pant at the onset of the ongoing series against South Africa, the decision sparked quite a few debates. Pant had exceptional numbers as a batsman in Saha's absence due to injury and it made no sense to sideline a younger Pant for a 34-year old Saha.
The justification given then was that Saha was the "No. 1 keeper" and that India were looking to field the better keeper rather than the better batsman of the two. Two games into the series and the management's decision appears to be a top-notch one based on evidence.
Saha has batted only once in this series and made a 16-ball 21 as India looked to declare at Vishakapatnam but it is behind the stumps that he has been a notable presence. On day five of the Pune Test, Saha pulled off three catches behind the wicket, all of which were outstanding and generated responses of awe from social media.
Watching Saha keep so superbly to Ashwin brought back boyhood memories of Kirmani keep to Chandrasekhar, and of Knott keep to Underwood. One of the most difficult as well as one of the least appreciated of cricketing arts: keeping well on a crumbling pitch to a great spinner.
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) October 13, 2019
How easily he grabs those blinders. Safest hands behind the wickets. Wriddhiman Saha 👏🙌🙏 #INDvSA #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/ilexC63tGX
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) October 13, 2019
Saha's exceptional catches involved picking up two catches down the leg-side to send back Theunis de Bruyn and Vernon Philander and a juggling dive in front of the wicket to get rid of Faf du Plessis.
Before the series, Virat Kohli hailed Saha as the best keeper. Everyone from Umesh Yadav to Ravichandran Ashwin to Rohit Sharma has hailed Saha's keeping. Umesh went on to state that he owed two wickets to Saha's incredible catching while Ashwin went on record to state that Saha barely misses anything behind the stumps.
Rohit Sharma had earlier justified his call by pointing out his role in DRS calls.
"He is helpful in DRS and he is a big part in our line-up and that is why he is back in the squad," Rohit Sharma said during the first Test at Visakhapatnam.
Featured image courtesy: AFP / Punit Paranjpe
