With the spin-friendly home conditions in stark contrast to the bouncy pitches of South Africa, the team management has reportedly decided to opt for specialist wicket-keeper KS Bharat over a makeshift one like KL Rahul. India will play five Tests against England, starting January 25, 2024
When Ajit Agarkar and Co announced a 16-member Indian squad for the first two Tests against England, it was somehow implicit that among the three wicketkeepers named - KL Rahul, KS Bharat and the uncapped Dhruv Jurel - Rahul will be the go-to option. (More Cricket News)
The reason was clear. Rahul had kept wickets for the Tests against South Africa and is almost guaranteed a place in the XI after his stunning counter-attacking century in Centurion.
But as it turns out, he might not be the first-choice keeper for the home Tests against England. According to an Indian Express report, KS Bharat will don the gloves instead and Rahul will return to his usual dual role - batter and fielder.
The reports states that the Indian team will again prepare turning tracks that can pose a stiff challenge to the visiting English side in the five-match series. And that is why a specialist keeper like Bharat will be necessitated.
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The Indian team management told the Agarkar-led selection committee that Rahul was asked to keep wickets in South Africa due to the inherent bounce in the pitches there, as per the report. Pacer ruled the roost in those conditions and the ball was routinely collected over waist height. But with conditions expected to be enitrly different at home, Rahul might not be a prudent choice.
“The Indian team will once again be playing on turners, and the team management felt that specialist spinners should handle the job at home. The team has many quality spinners, and the team won’t take any chances, especially when the pitch being offered will be a turner,” the report quoted a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source as saying.
India have a plethora of spin options available for the first two tests, with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav making up a strong quartet. Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, and Bumrah make up the pace attack in the continued absence of recent Arjuna Awardee Mohammed Shami.
As for the wicket-keepers, the selection committee chose to overlook Ishan Kishan despite picking three glovesmen in the squad.