3 Indian white-ball wicketkeepers who can replace Rishabh Pant

India had a year to forget in white-ball cricket in 2022. The recent 2-1 ODI series loss against Bangladesh was another reminder of the Men in Blue’s shortcomings in the format.

Team India fielded two wicketkeepers in the series - KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan. Kishan played just one game, while Rahul was unable to emulate his standout performance from the series opener in the following games.

The team management has been struggling to find the perfect white-ball wicketkeeper. Team India made an untimely exit from the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup. One of India's primary shortcomings was the poor run-of-form of their wicketkeeper batsmen. Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik were India's wicketkeeping options at the World Cup.

In the three innings that Karthik played, he managed to amass just 14 runs. Pant couldn't find his best form either, scoring a mere 9 runs in the 2 matches that he played.

Rishabh Pant's recent dip in form

Rishabh Pant's form has been a real worry for the management. Pant has average numbers in white-ball formats. In ODIs, Pant has scored 865 runs at a mediocre average of 34.60. Since debuting in 2018, Rishabh has managed to score just 1 century in the format. In the recently-concluded ODI series against New Zealand, Pant failed to make any impact. He was able to amass a total of 25 runs in the 2 innings he played. He looked rusty and unsure about his shots.

In T20Is, Rishabh Pant has 987 runs in 66 matches. He averages a mere 22.43 at a mediocre strike rate of just over 126.

This situation calls on the selectors to look for alternatives in the format.

Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson is an IPL stalwart. Over his 138-match career spanning over 10 years, he has amassed over 3,500 runs at a strike rate of over 135. He is best suited as an opener and has opened the batting for India in four T20 Internationals, recording a strike rate of over 165.

In his short ODI career, Samson has an average of 66. He scored an unbeaten 86 against South Africa in the ODI Series earlier this year. He can hit the long ball exquisitely.

In June 2022, Samson scored a blistering 77 off just 42 deliveries against Ireland. Samson brings the perfect combination of experience and explosiveness that Team India needs.

Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan might be the perfect replacement for Rishabh Pant in the white-ball setup. The 24-year-old southpaw has over 1800 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of over 140. Kishan has a strike rate of about 130 in T20Is. In the five-match T20I series against South Africa earlier this year, Kishan amassed a total of 206 runs, striking at well over 150.

In the ODI format, Kishan has an impressive average of 53. In the third ODI against Bangladesh, Kishan scored 210 of 131 deliveries. He brought up his double hundred in 126 balls - the fastest in ODI history. He is only the 7th batsman to score a double hundred in this format.

Kona Srikar Bharat

K.S. Bharat is a very bright prospect. He is a consistent run scorer on the domestic circuit. He gained massive popularity following his performances in IPL 2021.

He was picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2021 auction. He rose to fame on the back of his pinch-hitting abilities. He scored close to 200 runs in 8 matches. He was picked by the Delhi Capitals in 2022 and unfortunately was not given ample match time.

His numbers don't quite do justice to his talent. He has great first-class numbers and could be a great investment for Team India in the future. He has traveled with the senior team as a reserve player on multiple tours.