Major change expected for the third Test; Rishabh Pant could be handed debut

As the Indian team hits the ground running ahead of the third Test, there are reports trickling in which suggest that young Rishabh Pant could well be handed a debut. Dinesh Karthik, the first-choice wicket-keeper has had a miserable run in the Test series so far and has looked far from convincing, both with the bat and gloves.

Pant, who was a surprise selection the Test squad in the first place, received rave reviews from his India A coach Rahul Dravid after impressing in the match against the England Lions last month. 

"Rishabh has shown he could bat differently. He has the temperament and skills to bat differently. He is always going to be an attacking player, but reading of the situation when one is playing red-ball cricket is required," Dravid said last month.

"We are glad he has been picked in the national team and I hope he takes this maturity and builds thereon," Dravid further added. 

On the other hand, Karthik has looked woefully out of form with scores of 0, 20, 1, 0 in the four innings so far. As India go back to the drawing board, Pant could well be the man who provides a spark to the rather mundane state of affairs.

Although, Pant has made a name for himself as a smasher in T20 cricket, he has had quite a formidable record in first-class cricket. In 23 first-class matches, Pant has scored 1744 runs so far at an average of 54.50 and with a strike rate of 95.24.

Earlier this summer, he looked impressive as he scored 64 not out for India A to beat England Lions in the tri-series final. In the first-class games which followed, he scored 67 against West Indies A and then went on to hit 58 and 61 against the England Lions. 

"On this trip, we challenged him a lot to bat according to the situation," Dravid had remarked and Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri could well identify the potential and give him a go in Trent Bridge.