5 Indian players for whom the West Indies Test series will be crucial

Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has an excellent opportunity to stake his claim to be India's long-term Test Wicketkeeper

With Dinesh Karthik and Wriddhiman Saha out of the Test squad, the home series against West Indies represents a golden opportunity for perhaps the most exciting wicketkeeper-batsman India has produced since MS Dhoni himself.

Rishabh Pant has raised hopes among many Indian cricket fans that he could be India’s Adam Gilchrist; the similarities between the two left-handed attacking wicketkeeper-batsmen coming in at No. 6 or 7 are there for all to see. But Pant still has significant work to do on his keeping skills to convince as a Test-quality wicketkeeper; he conceded an unprecedented 76 byes in his first three Tests and will need to be alert behind the stumps to keep well even against the spinners on Day 4 or Day 5 tracks in the Indian subcontinent.

The game-changing ability he possesses with the bat, however, should ensure he’s given enough opportunities to succeed and become India’s Test keeper for the foreseeable future.