3 young specialist wicket-keepers India can groom to replace Wriddhiman Saha in Tests

India could have had a tough time searching a specialist wicket-keeper for Tests after MS Dhoni's retirement from the longest format of the game, but luckily for them, they had a certain Wriddhiman Saha. Not very astute with the bat, but the Shaktigarh lad is exceptional behind the stumps, which made him the keeping mainstay in Virat Kohli's Indian Test team.

He has been missing some cricket off late due to injury, but the magnitude of his injury was not known to all until very recently. After reportedly meeting three doctors and taking as many injections, Saha will have to go through a surgery, which will force him to stay out of cricket for a long time. He will be turning 34 this October, and many have been questioning the time he has left for cricket.

BCCI has selected Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant for the upcoming 5-match Test series against India. Many former cricketers and pundits have expressed their views about the importance of grooming a specialist keeper for the future. Former cricketers Kiran More and Syed Kirmani have highlighted the importance of having a great keeper in the team for Tests, even if he is not that good a batter. Let us have a look at 3 such future prospects, barring Pant, who can replace Saha:

#3 N Jagadeesan

N Jagadeesan has a commendable FC average

Amongst the three mentions in this list, Narayan Jagadeesan is perhaps the most 'unknown' player. But for those who watch Tamil Nadu Premier League or the followers of Indian domestic cricket, this young lad from Coimbatore is something special. The 22-year-old has incredible first-class and List A averages.

Playing for Tamil Nadu, Jagadeesan has scored 437 runs in FC cricket at an impressive average of over 40. There can be no arguments over his keeping skills. In last year's Ranji Trophy, Jagadeesan took 17 catches and inflicted two stumpings in 9 games, thereby getting his name in the list of top 10 keepers of the season.

#2 Ishan Kishan

Kishan can be the answer to many questions

If a cricket enthusiast is asked to predict India's full-time wicket-keeper after half a decade, the majority of the votes will go to Ishan Kishan. The Patna boy made a name for himself with his domestic brilliance, which earned him a contract worth the moon from Mumbai Indians.

Kishan celebrated his 20th birthday just a few days back and could be the young, specialist keeper India is looking for. He scored 275 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of nearly 150. Besides that, his FC average is over 40. Representing Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy, Kishan made 13 dismissals last year. In this young age, he has already crossed 2000-run mark in FC cricket.

#1 Sanju Samson

Samson redeemed himself in IPL this year

The 23-year-old Sanju Samson is three years older than Rishabh Pant, who is in the Indian squad for the upcoming Test series. Many feel that Pant, with all his talent and skills, might not be the perfect fit for the longest format of the game. Samson is currently one of the safest pairs of hands in India.

Unlike the previous mentions, Samson has already represented India in a T20I against Zimbabwe. He was once considered India's future wicket-keeper, but a poor run of form threw him away from the limelight. In IPL this year, Samson has redeemed himself. He was Rajasthan Royals' highest run scored with 441 runs, beating his nearest competitor Ajinkya Rahane by a big margin of 71 runs.