Indian Test keeper Wriddhiman Saha has been ruled out of the third Test against England after developing a strain in his left thigh. Prathiv Patel has been called up as his replacement for the match that starts on Sunday.
The BCCI’s medical team confirmed that Saha suffered a strain in his left thigh during the second Test at Visakhapatanam, which India won by 246 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series against England. As a precautionary measure, he has been advised rest and will not play the third Test to avoid aggravating the injury.
Parthiv is all set to make a comeback to the Test team after more than eight years away, and also four years since he last played an international match. Earlier this year, Pathiv was also called to join the Indian limited overs team in Bangladesh as a back-up for MS Dhoni. He however, did not get a game.
Parthiv, 31, had made his Test debut against England as a 17-year-old during the 2002 tour and last played against Sri Lanka at Colombo in August, 2008. He has been Gujarat's top run-getter in 3 of the last 4 Ranji Trophy seasons.
For Delhi's young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, it is not logistically possible to reach Mohali from Wayanad, where he is currently playing a Ranji Trophy match, before 25th late evening after completing the match on 24th.
Pant, who is currently topping the run charts in the Ranji Trophy with 874 runs, would have to travel to either Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram by road from Wayanad, and then take a flight to Delhi followed by another connecting flight to Chandigarh in order to reach Mohali.
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