Always considered myself 100 percent keeper, 100 percent batter: KS Bharat

KS Bharat in action for India 'A' [Source: Twitter]

The unfortunate incident involving Rishabh Pant on the eve of the new year opened a place in India's Test side for a keeper-batter. Indian team management has the likes of Srikar Bharat (KS Bharat), Ishan Kishan, Chetan Dinesh Bist, and Narayan Jagadeesan sitting in the ranks.

Bharat is the front-runner to feature in the upcoming Australian series starting next month, given the Andhra batter has been traveling with the Indian set-up since the departure of veteran Wriddhiman Saha. 

​Playing in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23, Bharat spoke with PTI about his batting approach after end of play on Day 3 of the ongoing encounter between Andhra and Delhi.

Here's what Bharat said

"I have always considered myself as 100 per cent keeper and 100 per cent batter. I don't consider myself a 70 per cent batter or a 30 per cent keeper. Whenever I walk into the field, I am as good as an opening batter and whenever I keep I think that I am the best keeper in whatever conditions are there or circumstances."

The 29-year-old played for India 'A' during their tour of Bangladesh. Overall, in 85 First-Class matches, the Gujarat Titans player has 4,627 runs with nine hundred and 26 fifties.  

The young wicket-keeper batter also spoke about adapting to situations in Tests. 

"If a Test match is to be drawn and I have to bat four hours straight, then I have to do that or if the team is chasing on day four, needing 100 off 10 overs, I have to hit with that strike rate so that the team benefits."

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets underway from February 9, where India most probably be fielding themselves without Pant, which opens up a spot for Bharat.

Also Read: Cricket Australia pull out of ODI series against Afghanistan