Visakhapatnam: Wriddhiman Saha will replace the struggling Rishabh Pant in the Indian line-up for the first Test against South Africa, captain Virat Kohli announced here on Tuesday, calling the Bengal player the "best wicketkeeper" in the world. The 34-year-old Saha was out of the team for a long time due to injury and came back into the side during the two-Test series in the West Indies in August. However, he did not get to play there and Pant kept wickets in both the games.

"Yes Saha is fit and fine to go. He is going to start the series for us. His keeping credentials are for everyone to see. He has done well with the bat whenever he has got a chance," said Kohli on the eve of the first Test. "It was unfortunate that he was out with an injury. According to me he is the best keeper the world. With these conditions he starts for us," he added. Saha last played a Test during the South Africa tour in January 2018 before being hampered by a shoulder injury, followed by a thumb problem. Pant burst on to the scene in his absence and with centuries in England and Australia, became the team's number one wicketkeeper in the longest format. However, the 21-year-old has been coping criticism for reckless stroke-making and that may have have been a factor in the team management's decision to start with Saha. Saha has played 32 Tests, scoring 1164 runs at 30.63. Kohli said the team management wanted to ease Saha back into the team and that is one of the reasons he did not play in the Caribbean.