As India prepares for the opening Test against England in Hyderabad on January 25, there are various decisions to be made, including who will occupy the wicketkeeping slot in the playing eleven.
For the first two Tests against England, India has picked three wicketkeeper-batters – KL Rahul, KS Bharat and the uncapped Dhruv Jurel. The team thrust Rahul into the unfamiliar role of being designated wicketkeeper for India’s tour of South Africa, as conditions weren’t much in favour of spinners.
Now that India is back home, there is a consideration of using a specialist keeper who can handle turning pitches and uneven bounce against Ashwin, Jadeja, Patel, and Yadav. This theory brings Bharat and Dhruv more into the mix.
Also Read: Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England for personal reasons
“When I read the squad after it was announced, I was very surprised over three keepers being picked. But I believe it’s clear that Rahul will be considered as a batter and not as a keeper in this series, as in Indian conditions, they are looking at a proper keeper who can also bat.”
“Yes, Rahul was considered as a keeper for the South Africa Test series as there isn’t much role of spinners in overseas conditions and keeping wickets to spinners is comparatively a tougher task,” said Ajay Ratra, former India wicketkeeper-batter, in an exclusive conversation with media.
With Rishabh Pant sidelined due to a horrific car accident nearly a year ago, Bharat stepped up as India’s wicketkeeper in Tests. Later on, Ishan Kishan and Rahul became India’s wicketkeepers for Test matches in the West Indies and South Africa, respectively.
Despite not making significant contributions with the bat in five Tests, Bharat’s extensive experience as a wicketkeeper in 82 first-class games in India, along with his impressive unbeaten 116 against England Lions in the first four-day match for India ‘A’ at Ahmedabad, solidify his position as a strong contender for the wicketkeeper’s role in the Hyderabad Test.
(This story is sourced from a third-party syndicated feed. Raavi Media takes no responsibility or liability of any nature. Raavi Media management/ythisnews.com can alter or delete the content without notice for any reason.)
