Wicketkeeper Saha suffered a stiff neck during the drawn Kanpur Test recently. Although Saha scored 1 and 61 not out, substitute ‘keeper KS Bharat was called upon after Saha hardly kept in the first innings and did not take the field in the second
Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha during the first Test against NZ at Kanpur recently. Pic/AFP
Wriddhiman Saha’s neck injury may solve a couple of headaches for the Indian team management, who have to make the tough call of either dropping out-of-form senior pros Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara for the second Test against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium starting tomorrow.
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Wicketkeeper Saha suffered a stiff neck during the drawn Kanpur Test recently. Although Saha scored 1 and 61 not out, substitute ‘keeper KS Bharat was called upon after Saha hardly kept in the first innings and did not take the field in the second.
Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara
Bharat likely to debut
Saha is yet to be ruled out of the second Test, but his unavailability may provide an opportunity for Bharat to make his debut. “We will take a call closer to the game on what condition he [Saha] is in. Physios are in constant touch with [head coach] Rahul Dravid and [captain]
Virat Kohli. Whatever he did in the last game was fabulous. It was painful to bat, but he raised his hand and delivered for the team,” bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said during a virtual press conference on Wednesday after unexpected rain washed out practice sessions for both teams.
Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey
Saha’s unavailability also helps solve selection issues because Bharat, who has a first-class triple century to his name, can open the innings with Shubman Gill. Mayank Agarwal, in that case, will be forced to sit out.
In such a scenario, under-fire Rahane and Pujara will get another chance to make a case for themselves.
Rahane and Pujara’s places have come under the scanner due to a prolonged lean patch. Rahane averages just over 20 in 12 Tests this year, while Pujara is yet to score a century since 2019.
With Virat Kohli returning for the second Test, the axe was hanging on Pujara and Rahane to make way for the Indian Test skipper.
Mhambrey, though, wasn’t too concerned about Rahane and Pujara’s form. “We know there is a lot of experience behind them and they have played enough cricket. We also know, as a team, that they are just one innings away from coming into form. As a team, everyone is behind them, backing them. They will come good. They have played enough cricket to understand what is required to get going,” said Mhambrey.
Siraj to replace Ishant?
With overcast conditions and the red soil at Wankhede assisting bounce, there is a possibility of drafting Mohammed Siraj in place of Ishant Sharma, who went wicketless in the first Test.
Mhambrey said the decision regarding combinations will be taken closer to the game. “It depends what combination will suit the wicket here.
Two spinners and three pacers or three spinners and two pacers,” he said.
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