As the new year 2024 passed by, all of India and the cricketing world geared up for an exciting 5 match test series as in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle, India took on Brendon McCullum management led England side in India starting 25th January 2024 in Hyderabad. The series which was already in talks as the Bazball vs Indian approach when cricket takes the centerstage, heated up due to the selection stint of the Indian squad for first 2 Test matches of the series.
To be played in Indian condition, where the pitches are mostly conducive for spin attack , the Indian team selectors led by former Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar , decided to form a team which comprises of four specialist spinners. However sparks and buzz grew further when in addition to already present KL Rahul selected KS Bharat and newbie Dhruv Jurel as three wicket keepers for the first two matches ignoring the likes of Ishan Kishan.
Team India’s gloveman KS Bharat underwhelming performance with the bat
First-choice wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is yet to regain fitness after sustaining multiple injuries in the horrific car crash in December 2022. In his absence, KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan have performed keeping duties in the longest format over the last 14 months.
With Kishan being overlooked in the Indian squad since pulling out of the South Africa Test tour last December, KS Bharat got the nod for the first two England Tests. Dhruv Jurel was the other gloveman in the Indian squad for the first two Tests against England.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, Bharat amassed 101 runs across four Tests against Australia. He also featured in the WTC final and returned with scores 5 and 23.
Subsequently, Bharat was left out of the playing XI during the tour of West Indies, where Kishan performed the keeping duties in the two-Test series. Bharat didn’t get a chance during the recent tour of South Africa too as KL Rahul kept wickets for the first time in Test cricket.
Given a chance in the Indian team for the first two test matches versus England ,KS Bharat has failed to live up to the expectations, registering scores of 41, 28, 17 and 6 in the first two Tests in Hyderabad and Vizag.
As India prepares for the third Test against England in Rajkot, the spotlight is on wicket-keeper K S Bharat. KS Bharat’s performance behind the stumps has been on point and one commentator hailed him along with England ‘keeper Ben Foakes for their ‘keeping. It’s Bharat’s batting that is in focus.
Dhruv Jurel, a surprise inclusion in India’s team for the first two Tests, has been making waves with impressive domestic performances. The 22-year-old Uttar Pradesh player, known for his finishing abilities, has been on the selectors’ radar for the wicket-keeping role in Tests. The Rajasthan Royals player has showcased his talent in various formats, scoring 790 runs in 15 matches at an average of 46. His recent contributions in domestic cricket and the India A tour of South Africa have bolstered his case for a Test debut.
Team India glovesman KS Bharat has been under the scanners following his underwhelming show with the bat in the first two Tests against England. Bharat was picked as a specialist wicketkeeper but he failed to impress with the bat in crunch situations, meanwhile, his wicketkeeping was also under-par on a few occasions. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has urged the selectors to now look as Dhruv Jurel as an option over KS Bharat for the remainder of the tests vs England.
Sanjay Manjrekar questions KS Bharat’s place in the Indian playing 11
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar was disappointed with wicketkeeper KS Bharat’s performance with the bat in the first two Tests against England. The 58-year-old believes that the right-handed batter has failed to deliver after being picked as a replacement for Ishan Kishan during the Test series against South Africa.
Manjrekar urged the selectors to look for options who can contribute with the bat, with Rishabh Pant anyway set to reclaim the spot once fully fit. The comments came as Bharat returned scores of 41, 28, 17, and 6 in the two Tests against England.
On Thursday (February 8), Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo:
“It’s a lot like he’s playing his first series. He’s played before, he played all four Test matches against Australia and Rishabh Pant is due to come any time soon. So, I am not sure whether it is worthwhile and makes sense to keep investing in KS Bharat. He’s also not 20 years old and India had moved on from KS Bharat and gone to Ishan Kishan.”
“So he’s done just enough to maybe just keep his place in the side. This team management believes in being fair to every individual, but I would personally look at another option before Rishabh Pant comes in and takes his place.”
The cricketer-turned-commentator added:
“India will start looking at KS Bharat whether his keeping is that good we can afford to have somebody who is not contributing as much with the bat. India of late and the world over, if you see is going for keepers who are decent good keepers but contribute with the bat. “I mean look at Rishabh Pant in the last 3-4 years, his contribution with the bat. So, those are things that India will have to look at.”
Last year, Bharat scored just 101 runs in four matches against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with a highest score of 44. The wicketkeeper-batter had managed scores of five and 23 in the World Test Championship final.
With the Indian team for the Tests in Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala yet to be announced, who will keep wickets for the third Test, which begins in Rajkot on February 15, remains uncertain. As KS Bharat faces scrutiny, the spotlight shifts to whether Dhruv Jurel will get an opportunity to prove his mettle on the international stage.