Saba Karim blind ranks India’s Test wicketkeepers amid IND vs SA 2025 series; MS Dhoni is not No. 1

Former keeper and ex-selector Saba Karim blind ranked India's Test wicketkeepers (on ESPNCricinfo) amid the ongoing series against South Africa at home. The hosts lost the Test series 0-2, with the action now set to shift to the limited-overs formats.

The first name to appear was that of 1983 World Cup winner Syed Kirmani. Saba Karim ranked Kirmani at number three. The next name was that of legendary captain MS Dhoni. The ex-selector did not rank Dhoni at the top but placed him at number two instead.

He then ranked Nayan Mongia at number five and Farokh Engineer at number six, stating that he had not seen a lot of him. Saba Karim ranked former wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha at number one and finally placed Rishabh Pant at number four.

Saha played 40 Tests and ended his career with 104 dismissals with an average of 1.36 dismissals per innings. On the other hand, MS Dhoni played 90 Tests and ended with 294 dismissals with an average of 1.77 dismissals per innings. Notably, Kirmani has the second-most dismissals in Tests among wicketkeepers in the country, with 198 dismissals in 88 matches.

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Saba Karim on Indian batter failing to perform at home after series defeat against South Africa

Meanwhile, Saba Karim reflected on India's 0-2 series defeat to South Africa. He reckoned that the batters were well equipped to handle conditions in SENA countries but struggled to perform well at home.

The former keeper reckoned that the BCCI's decision to prepare hard wickets in domestic cricket was a double-edged sword. While it helped batters prepare well for the conditions in SENA countries, their skills to tackle spin at home eventually went down.

"Even in domestic cricket, we don’t find these kind of surfaces [Guwahati pitch]. This is the perfect Test cricket pitch for Indian conditions. In 2012-13, the Indian board decided that we should prepare fast and hard surfaces that will help our young batters adapt better when we travel to SENA countries. That wish has been to a large extent fulfilled. Now, young Indian batters are more equipped to handle SENA conditions," he said on ESPN Cricinfo.

"Unfortunately, in the bargain, we have failed to prepare turning wickets also. Now is the time for BCCI to come up with a system where you can provide both kind of surfaces," he added.

It was their second Test series whitewash at home in two consecutive years, having lost 0-3 to New Zealand in 2024.