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KS Bharat To Play As Wicketkeeper, Not KL Rahul, For England Tests: Reports 

image-lrd0xpc7KS Bharat could be in for a comeback [X.com]

Intent on continuing to prepare turners for home Tests with the five-match series against England, starting January 25, the Indian team management could ask specialist wicketkeeper KS Bharat to don the gloves above comeback man KL Rahul, reported the Indian Express. 

Rahul, who produced a memorable century on Test return in Centurion and emerged as a decent backup option to incumbent Rishabh Pant behind the stumps on pace-dominant surfaces, will play the opening Test in Hyderabad but as a specialist batter and fielder. 

It isn't that the team management has taken a U-turn on Rahul's wicketkeeping prowess, just that with World Test Championship (WTC) points at stakes, coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma believe Bharat would be more suited for dry, turning surfaces to keep to the famed spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. 

Bharat To Keep During England Tests 

"The team management has made it clear to the selection committee that Rahul was asked to keep wickets in South Africa due to the bounce in the pitch," the Indian Express reported. 

"The fast bowlers came into play during the two Test match series against South Africa, and most of the time, the ball was collected over waist height. As a result, the Indian team has informed the BCCI and selection committee that Rahul won’t keep wickets."

Previously also India has opted to play a more renowned wicketkeeper above a more capable batting option for home Tests in giving preference to Wriddhiman Saha above Rishabh Pant in late 2019 versus Bangladesh and South Africa. 

Bharat made his debut for India early last year with the marquee Border-Gavaskar Trophy and played through the series as well as the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) in June before being dropped over unsatisfying returns. 

Keeping and batting on tough pitches, the 30-year-old Andhra cricketer made just 129 runs off his 8 innings at an average of 18.42 and missed multiple chances with the gloves. 

If India do consider playing him above Rahul purely for wicketkeeping, they will have to drop one of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer in the middle order despite their exceptional spin game for turning pitches.