Virat Kohli bats for Wriddhiman Saha as India's first choice Wicketkeeper for Tests

 Bengaluru: With Indian cricket team geared up for their busiest Test season comprising 17 five-day games, skipper Virat Kohli aptly stated that the coming days will be an indicator as to how they have shaped up as a Test unit.

"This is the perfect situation and opportunity to challenge and assess ourselves as a Test team. These months will define how we play as a Test team in coming years," Kohli said at the pre-departure media conference ahead of Indian team's tour of the West Indies.

MS Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Virat Kohli and others had setup a meeting to discuss Indian cricket's future roadmap.

Speaking on the wicket-keeping situation, Virat Kohli said,

"Glovesman Wriddhiman Saha's batting has been under scanner and KL Rahul is in the squad as the reserve keeper but Kohli made it clear that it would be the Bengal lad, who firmly remains the first-choice behind the stumps."

"Whenever KL Rahul has played, he has filled in opener's slot but when it comes to keeping Wriddhiman is our first-choice keeper. His batting has also improved a lot and we are backing him. In Test matches, when it comes to half-chances, you need a specialist keeper who can execute catches properly. A part-time keeper will find this situation harder. We will think about Rahul if Saha is injured as then we will also have to make our middle-order strong," Kohli explained.

A 4-0 clean sweep against the West Indies can put India atop ICC Test Rankings and Kohli was asked if that was something he and his team was aiming for.

(With Agency inputs)