Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has backed KS Bharat despite wicketkeeper’s continuous poor show in the Test cricket.
After India’s comfortable win in Vizag, Dravid was asked whether he was disasppointed with Bharat’s performance in the red-ball format.
“I would not use the word disappointed, to be honest. Young players need time to develop. They are growing at their own pace. As a coach, you want young players who come into the side to grab the opportunities and perform,” Dravid said in the post-match press conference.
Bharat, who made his Test debut in 2023, has failed to register a single fifty in the 12 innings he has played so far.
The wicketkeeper batter has scored 221 runs at an average of 20.09, with his top score being 44.
His keeping has been really good: Dravid
However, despite the failures with bat, KS Bharat has impressed with the gloves and Team India head coach also acknowledged that.
“His keeping, to be honest in both the Tests, has been really good. With his batting, I am sure he will agree he could certainly have done better. Sometimes, he has played on some different tracks. He has had the opportunity to make better contributions,” Dravid stated.
“He has had the opportunity to make a little bit better contributions. Certainly, batting is an area that he has done really well. He has gotten to this level because he has scored hundreds, even at the A level. He came into the series with a hundred against the Lions (England Lions). He has come in with some form, but somehow it hasn’t really worked for him in these couple of games”, the head coach added.