New Zealand vs India 2020: 5 most important elements of the Test series

India’s wicket-keeper

Pant may get another go, maybe as a batsman in the Indian team

And we are back to the wicket-keeping slot in the Indian team. In the home season, this was snatched from Rishabh Pant by Wriddhiman Saha. But the Bengal wicket-keeper may not be a certainty going into this series.

Pant has hundreds in Australia and England, albeit on flat pitches. This record of his could push the Indian team management to bring the Delhi keeper back into the Indian side. There is also the possibility of him playing as a batsman alone.

India do have a opening at no.6 in their batting line-up. The contenders for this spot are Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Pant himself. Those two overseas hundreds that he has may well tilt the balance in his favour.

However, one must not completely overlook the batting credentials of Saha. In 2016, he made some extremely valuable contributions with the bat, including a brilliant hundred in West Indies where he rescued his team, along with Ashwin from a dire situation.

He also scored fifties in each innings of a home Test against New Zealand where the conditions were tough for batting. So, it’s quite possible that India repose their faith in Saha and leave Pant out.