3 players who can be India's long-term solution for the wicket-keeper's slot

For nearly 15 years, there was no question as to who would don the gloves for the Men in Blue. It was a given that one of the smartest cricketing brains in the history of the game, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, would be the ideal man to lead the side and plot the downfall of the opposition.

However, since the end of the 2019 edition of the 50-over World Cup, there has been little to no news about MS Dhoni's availability. As the World T20 continues to come closer, the uncertainty of the matter has only continued to grow. Granted, his T20I performances have not been stupendous so to speak, but Dhoni's expertise behind the stumps with respect to the DRS, as well as assisting the bowlers with their next steps is certainly something that needs a ton of experience.

Since then, India have tried out a few options behind the stumps but none have impressed. KL Rahul, who has very recently been given the role has looked good and is one of the frontrunners. While this solves a few problems in the Indian batting order, the real question is if Rahul can carry on with wicket-keeping without it impacting his role as a key batsman in T20Is.

Before Rahul, Rishabh Pant was given a long rope as the wicket-keeper batsman and unfortunately failed to perform. Pant's inexperience as a batsman led to him often throwing away his wicket in situations where he was needed, and this carried on for long enough for him to be replaced. Sanju Samson has also been given a go behind the stumps, albeit for just a few innings, but has failed to show that he's here to stay.

With all this, the question that arises is, who is the long term option for India behind the stumps?

On that note, here are 3 potential candidates who could fill that spot, while having at least five years of the game time left in them.

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#3 KL Rahul

The first and most obvious choice for the next permanent wicket-keeper batsman would have to be KL Rahul. With his performances against New Zealand in the T20I series, he has shown the management that he can be one of the three-dimensional players that they're always on the lookout for, who can don multiple hats. What he also does is free up a spot for a purist batsman, perhaps a finisher.

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If that isn't enough, he's also being viewed as captaincy material, which was clear from the New Zealand series where he was seen leading the team during Virat Kohli's absence.

The only real concern that stands in Rahul's way is the fact that his consistency with the bat may suffer due to having too many roles. The candle that burns the brightest is often the candle that burns out the fastest. India, however, have been lucky with players like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, where this has not been the case. If Rahul can follow in those footsteps, the Indian team management will feel like they've solved a huge issue.

#2 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant

Once hailed as the X-factor in India's batting lineup, apart from being a specialist wicket-keeper things haven't particularly been going well for Rishabh Pant in the limited-overs scenario.

Having been around for 3 years in the T20I circuit, Pant averages 20.5 with the bat. What really makes this sting is the way he gets out along with the situations in which he loses his wicket. As a wicket-keeper too, Pant has made plenty of mistakes, with dropped catches and missed stumping opportunities.

However, it still stands that the lad from Haridwar is only 22 years old and has more playing years ahead of him than what he has left behind. That apart, one can't deny that when he gets going, everyone in the ground is left awestruck including the opposition. This was very visible during the IPL, where Pant smashes the best bowlers in the world to all parts of the ground.

While he finds himself on the sidelines right now, one would hope that this is not the end of the line for Rishabh Pant given the raw talent he possesses. If he focuses hard enough on the right areas, he could well find himself being a key part of India's limited-overs outfit.

#1 Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan

The 21-year-old from Jharkand hasn't quite been on the radar of the Indian selectors, but anybody that has followed his performances in the domestic circuit as well as for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL would have to agree that he's a great fit.

An explosive southpaw, whose a specialist wicket-keeper batsman and can either open the batting or play in the middle order is an ideal choice for the Men in Blue. He could also be the answer to the No.5 conundrum that India currently have.

The only concern is Ishan Kishan's inexperience, which would mean that he would almost definitely miss out on the 2020 T20 World Cup. However, given his talent, the fact that he's just 21 years old and that he justifies the opportunity when it comes, he'd have the opportunity to be the Indian team's wicket-keeper within the next 10 years.

Kishan would be waiting eagerly for his chance and would be looking to come good, unlike many of his predecessors.