Sanjay Manjrekar takes dig at Rishabh Pant, gets slammed on Twitter by keeper-batsman

After the completion of the six entertaining limited-overs matches, the Indian team is gearing up for the gruelling Test matches. With skipper Virat Kohli also flying back to India after the opening fixture, identifying a winning combination could prove to be a challenging task for the team management. The management is also likely to have a tough time when it comes to selecting their first choice wicket-keeper for the series, as both Wriddhiman Saha and Rishabh Pant are potent contenders. Sanjay Manjrekar recently addressed the issue and revealed his preferred gloveman. 

Sanjay Manjrekar backs Wriddhiman Saha ahead of Rishabh Pant for India vs Australia 1st Test

The cricket expert was recently asked by a fan regarding the selection of the two Indian wicketkeepers on his Twitter account. The former India player shared his take on the dilemma that the Indian team is facing ahead of Adelaide's day and night Test. Sanjay Manjrekar is of the opinion that wicket-keeping skills are a prerequisite in the longer format as compared to batting. This is why the 55-year-old revealed that he would pick Wriddhiman Saha ahead of Rishabh Pant for the opening encounter.  

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Manjrekar justified his choice by mentioning the essentiality of converting the chances behind the stumps. He opined that if someone with the calibre of Steve Smith is given a life early on in his innings, he could very well go on to make a double century and take the game away from India. He also added that with the tracks in Australia favoring the faster bowlers, it becomes mandatory to have a highly skilled wicketkeeper. 

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Rishabh Pant also has contributed significantly during his stint with the Indian team in red-ball cricket. Moreover, he also is the first Indian wicketkeeper to slam a Test century in England and Australia. Considering his past performances, the youngster also deserves a place in the side, according to his fans. They were also not very pleased with Sanjay Manjrekar's remarks and slammed the former cricketer on the micro-blogging site. 

Wriddhiman Saha is regarded as an exceptional man behind the stumps. India's head coach Ravi Shastri, also in the past, has hailed Saha's glovework as the best in the world. However, he has often been subject to criticism due to his inconsistent outings with the bat. Despite that, he was included in the playing eleven in both the three-day tour matches, which could be an indication that he is likely to take up the duty during the first Test as well. The cricketer with a promising half-century also has further strengthened his case. 

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Australia A vs Indians live

The two teams will battle it out in the second three-day tour game ahead of the much-awaited India vs Australia 1st Test. Both Wriddhiman Saha and Rishabh Pant are a part of the playing eleven for the pink-ball practice game, and it will be the perfect audition for the ahead of the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Fans can watch the Australia A vs Indians live in India on Sony Six.

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Image source: Sanjay Manjrekar Instagram