Asked about the headache that lies ahead for the team management with regards to Pant and Saha, Shastri didn't mince his words.
India gained a lot of positives with their 2-0 Test series sweep against West Indies, none greater than the splendid performances by the two youngest players in the side.
While Prithvi Shaw has rightly earned much of the limelight with his Man of the Series effort, Rishabh Pant has grown in leaps and bounds too. The wicketkeeper-batsman registered two scores of 92 in the series and proved that his century in England wasn't a flash in the pan.
What this means, however, is that Wriddhiman Saha's return to the Indian Test team is now in jeopardy. The 33-year-old underwent a successful shoulder surgery recently and is currently close to finishing his rehab. Sadly for him, though, his immediate comeback to the Indian Test XI seems unlikely as Pant seems to have solidified his place.
This was made clear by coach Ravi Shastri after India's emphatic win in the second Test against West Indies on Sunday. Asked about the headache that lies ahead for the team management with regards to Pant and Saha, Shastri didn't mince his words: "One thing you have to say, you go on current form. You can't go back to the past and see what happens. You've got to evaluate the conditions and current form becomes paramount."
Watch Shastri's take on the Pant-Saha situation HERE
Although Pant has made a solid case for his retention in India's Test XI, this stance by Shastri and the team management does seem a little harsh on Saha. The Bengal lad filled the huge shoes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni when the great man retired from Test cricket in 2014. Saha has done well in the longest format of the game since then, remaining dependable with the gloves and contributing regularly with the bat. It'll be unfortunate if he finds himself on the bench during the Australia tour after being forced out of the side earlier due to injury.
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