Salman Butt lauds Wriddhiman Saha’s comments on Rishabh Pant

Salman Butt. Pic/AFP

Pakistan cricketer, Salman Butt, has hailed India's wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha's comments that Rishabh Pant should be the country's first-choice keeper, saying it was a "reflection of the true professionalism in the Indian system".

Butt, who has played 33 Tests and 78 ODIs, shared a video on his YouTube channel in which he says, "Such things come out when you are true professionals. This is not an easy thing. Hats off to Saha. I know him; we played together for the (Kolkata) Knight Riders in the inaugural IPL. He is a very down-to-earth guy and he has said a fantastic thing. It shows his nobility, that he has spoken like that."

Saha had said recently that Pant should be India's first-choice wicketkeeper in their upcoming Test matches in England, including the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand.

"Pant played the last few matches of the World Test Championship, he's done well and he should be our first-choice keeper in England. I would just wait, and if any opportunity arises, I will give my best. I will keep practising for that one chance," Saha had told sportskeeda.com.

Butt said on his YouTube channel that, Saha's remark was a "very, very positive sign for Indian cricket". "This means whatever systems and policies they have, they have been successful to a large extent that their players don't feel insecure.

"When you don't feel insecure and you don't have hesitation in saying what is better for the team, that means your system, policies and grooming have won because you realise that you are also there but at the moment the other person is better and should play," added Butt.

SunRisers Hyderabad's Saha, who recently recovered from Covid-19 after coming down with the virus during the IPL on May 4, has been India's first-choice wicketkeeper since 2014 after Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from Test cricket until the emergence of Pant.

Both Saha and Pant have been included in the squad that will travel to England for the WTC final and the subsequent five-match Test series.

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