Wriddhiman Saha Deserves to be India's Permanent Keeper, Says India Test Captain Virat Kohli

With MS Dhoni announcing his retirement from Tests, the mantle was passed on to Virat Kohli, who made his debut as Test captain in Australia. But Dhoni's retirement means that India will also need a full time wicket-keeper now.

Wriddiman Saha, who has been called in as Dhoni's substitute in the past, now deserves a permanent spot in the Test side, according to the India's new Test captain, Kohli. (Complete IPL Coverage)

When India take on Sri Lanka in a Test series at home, there will be no MS Dhoni leading the team out to the field, and certainly no MS Dhoni behind the stumps. Since his Test debut in 2005, there've been very few Tests that India's 'Captain Cool' has had to miss. And even fewer Tests where he hasn't kept wickets due to injuries or other issues.

In the post-Dhoni retirement era, Bengal's Wriddhiman Saha is the best man to don the big gloves. (Half-Fit Players: To Play Them or Not to Play Them)

"He deserves this opportunity more than anyone else," Kohli said at a press conference in New Delhi.

"Everytime he's got to play has been when MS has been injured. But now his time to be permanent in Tests has come, and I'm very exited about it. At 30, he's very fit and extremely hard working. He deserves that spot in the Test side for at least the next 5-6 years," the Indian Test captain said. (Bizarre Moments of Indian Premier League 2015)

Saha, who made his Test debut in 2010 vs South Africa in Nagpur, has played four Tests in all, with the last one being in Sydney this year against Australia.

Kohli has captained India in one dayers on and off but captaincy of the Test side is a new responsibility for the right-hander, something he believes he thoroughly enjoys.

"Captaincy brings out the best in me," said Kohli, "As a captain it's my job to give everyone in my team a sense of ownership about what they're doing. That keeps the team united, and they're all on the same page."

In his debut as Test captain in the fourth Test vs Australia earlier this year in Adelaide, Kohli scored 147 in the first innings. He became the third player in Test history to score a century on his debut as captain.

"My own game improves when I am captaining," said the Royal Challengers Bangalor skipper, "I am sharper and more focused on my own game too."

The BCCI, though, is keeping a close eye on the 26-year-old's on and off field behavior because aggression has earned considerable amount of flak in recent times.

Kohli, however, says that he's learning the ropes, and perhaps, is also getting calmer.