Keeping The Faith

As the Indian cricket machine winds down from one tour and prepares for the next, the one slot everyone8217;s looking at is the wicketkeepe...

As the Indian cricket machine winds down from one tour and prepares for the next, the one slot everyone8217;s looking at is the wicketkeeper for the Tests. Parthiv8217;s dipping form has re-opened an old debate. Here8217;s looking at the main contenders

NAYAN MONGIA
Mongia 34 has just taken his first step back on the road to rehab by being picked to represent West Zone in the Duleep Trophy. The man touted by some as still the best keeper in the country has two factors in his favour: he8217;s the only contemporary wicket-keeper vying for a national berth to have played Tests against Pakistan in 1999. And he8217;s the only stumper to have toured the neighbouring country 8212; in 1989, as a member of the Under-19 squad.
Tests: 44 matches, 1442 runs, 24.03 Avg, 99/8
ODIs: 140 matches, 1272 runs, 20.19 Avg, 110/44

AJAY RATRA
Competent behind the stumps and gritty with the bat, Ratra failed to stay in the Indian team primarily because Patel came on the scene. And also because, following his 115 not out against West Indies at St John8217;s, his batting went dramatically downhill
Tests: 6 matches, 163 runs, 18.11 Avg, 11 ct/2 st
ODIs: 12 matches, 90 runs, 12.85 Avg, 11/5

MSK PRASAD
Arguably India8217;s best behind the stumps, though his batting had left a lot to be desired. He impressed in the few matches he played, but has been totally out of the scene since
Tests: 6 matches, 106 runs, 11.77 Avg, 15/0
ODIs: 17 matches, 131 runs, 14.55 Avg, 14/7

DEEP DASGUPTA
Gutsy batsman but hasn8217;t fully convinced about his keeping abilities. he has reportedly improved since his last appearance for India, but will the selectors risk him on such a high-profile tour?
Tests: 8 matches, 344 runs, 28.66 Avg, 13/0
ODIs: 5 matches, 51 runs, 17.00 Avg, 2/1

VIJAY DAHIYA
More a one-day option than for the longer version. Once the Indian team thinktank opted for Rahul Dravid to take over the ODI responsibility, Dahiya8217;s career was virtually over
Tests: 2 matches, 2 runs, 0.00 Avg, 6/0
ODIs: 19 matches, 216 runs, 16.61 Avg, 19/5

PARTHIV PATEL
The selectors8217; choice, and things were moving perfectly for him till the Australian tour. Flaws in technique have come to the fore, but at the same time has surpassed expectations with the bat
Tests: 13 matches, 382 runs, 27.28 Avg, 22/6
ODIs: 12 matches, 113 runs, 14.12 Avg, 10/3