IND vs AUS Test: IND AUS Nagpur Test – With No Rishabh Pant available against Australia, India are yet to finalise their keeper for the Nagpur Test. Even though the selectors have named KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan as two keepers in the squad, both have pros and cons. Bharat has been waiting in the wings for long while Ishan is the only left-hander batter in the line-up. KL Rahul keeping wickets opens up a spot for an extra bowler or an all-rounder like Axar Patel. As Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid are guiding the team in practice, a call will be made before the match. Follow India vs Australia LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
Rishabh Pant has been India’s best keeper-batter since MS Dhoni retired from Tests. He has played numerous match-winning knocks for India in Tests. But he is out close to 9 months after a horrific car crash in December. In his absence the team India management has a tough choice to make.
IND vs AUS Test: 3-way battle for KEEPERS at India nets in Nagpur, Dravid-Rohit yet to decide between Rahul-Ishan-Bharat, Check OUT
IND vs AUS Test: Dravid-Rohit yet to decide on wicketkeeper
Being the vice-captain, KL Rahul is almost certain to feature in the playing XI. But in which position and in which role is the biggest question. KL has begun keeping regularly in ODIs with Rishabh Pant fading away with his form. He is also the designated opener in Tests.
However, considering India’s Top 6 don’t bowl at all, it has opened up a discussion on whether Rahul can keep full-time in Tests in Pant’s absence. If he does keep wickets, India can afford to bring in third spinner or an all-rounder like Axar Patel to the mix. Even a leg-spinner could be handy. India can also test Suryakumar Yadav in Tests in Shreyas Iyer’s absence if Rahul dons the big gloves.
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KS Bharat: There isn’t much to choose between KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan when it comes to form with the bat. Both the players have a good domestic record. While Bharat is yet to make his Test debut he has played 86 first-class matches, scoring 4707 runs at an average of 37.95, which include nine hundreds and 27 fifties.
He has been waiting for a chance to show his mettle. But with Rishabh Pant dominating in Tests, it has been difficult to consider Bharat. But as long as Rishabh Pant is out injured, the team management has to do right by him.
Bharat has done everything he was asked of to be in the India team and the four-match Test series will be his biggest chance. Will he get in? It depends on whether India are ready to play with five bowling options.
If Rohit Sharma wants a fifth bowling option, the axe will fall on KS Bharat. KL Rahul will be asked to keep wickets.
Ishan Kishan: The young Jharkhand batsman can be an ideal like-for-like replacement fo Rishabh Pant. He can give India a left-hand option in the middle-order. Kishan has already proven his worth in the white-ball formats.
In First Class, Kishan has scored 2985 runs in 48 matches at an average of 38.76. He also has six hundreds and 16 fifties. That is impressive considering Rishabh was fairly new when he was called up to the national team.
But Kishan is in the team only as a backup wicketkeeper. Bharat is ahead of him in the pecking order after warming the bench in last few Test series.
With the 1st Test starting in Nagpur on Feb 9, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will have to make the tough call. As things stand, India will go ahead with a 6+5 combination and Bharat will be the one to make his Test debut.
IND vs AUS Test: 3-way battle for KEEPERS at India nets in Nagpur, Dravid-Rohit yet to decide between Rahul-Ishan-Bharat, Check OUT
India vs Australia Test series
IND vs AUS 1st Test: February 9-13 in Nagpur
IND vs AUS 2ndTest: February 17-21 in Delhi
IND vs AUS 3rd Test: March 1-5 in Dharamshala
IND vs AUS 4th Test: March 9-13 in Ahmedabad
India Test squad for first two Tests: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
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