The Indian team had a plethora of wicket keepers in their squads to don the keeping gloves in the all-format bilateral engagement against the Australians in their backyard.
While seasoned wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has been dropped from the white ball squads and only finds his place in Test team, KL Rahul and Sanju Samson are very much part of the ODI and T20I squads for the series against Australia.
Giving his views on who should be the first choice wicket-keeper for India in the upcoming series against Australia, former wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra said that KL Rahul's purple patch with the willow and decent form with the gloves behind the stumps makes him the ''best option'' for the coveted job.
Ratra felt that Rahul is as asset to the Indian limited overs set up with the willow considering his stellar run with the bat over the last couple of seasons. The former Indian wicket-keeper batsman also felt that Rahul's flexibility to bat at any position in the batting order is a major advantage which goes in his favour.
“The kind of form that Rahul is in obviously makes him the best option," Ratra told Hindustan Times.
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"He is flexible in the batting order, keeping wise also he has done a decent job. Rahul is an asset, he will walk into the Indian ODI and T20I at any point of time. If he keeps then it allows India to play an extra bowler or an all-rounder. So Rahul should be the first choice keeper-batsman in T20I and ODIs."
He also said that Rahul isn't a "makeshift keeper." “Rahul has kept in junior cricket and that’s why he doesn’t look like a makeshift keeper at all,” added Ratra.
Know What Is Ajay Ratra's Take On Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson As Wicket-Keeper Batsman
Ratra believed that both Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant were competing for the second place behind KL Rahul for the sole wicket-keeping spot in the Indian team.
Ratra said that though Samson showcased flashes of brilliance with the willow in the 2020 IPL in UAE, he needs to more consistent in his performances. He also made a pertinent point over Samson not keeping wickets on a regular basis in the IPL. Ratra rounded up by saying that both Pant and Samson had immense potential but need to deliver more consistent performances both with the willow and behind the stumps.
“Samson needs to be a bit more consistent with the bat. Same is for Pant. They definitely have the potential. Samson didn’t get to keep wickets much in the IPL. But both Samson and Pant are now fighting for the second spot,” said Ratra.