Confirming what was being reported and speculated earlier, India head coach Rahul Dravid has said that KL Rahul will not keep wickets during the five-Test home series against England. (More Cricket News)
Dravid has cited the conditions, which are expected to be largely spin-friendly, and the duration of the series as reasons for not going with his namesake Rahul, who did an admirably competent job behind the stumps during the Test series in South Africa. In such a scenario, specialist keeper KS Bharat might be the preferred choice for the team.
The Indian team management had earlier told the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee that Rahul was asked to keep wickets in South Africa due to the inherent bounce in the pitches there, as per an Indian Express report. Pacers ruled the roost in those conditions and the ball was routinely collected over waist height. But with conditions expected to be enitrly different at home, Rahul might not be a prudent choice.
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ALSO READ: Dhruv Jurel Profile
“The Indian team will once again be playing on turners, and the team management felt that specialist spinners should handle the job at home. The team has many quality spinners, and the team won’t take any chances, especially when the pitch being offered will be a turner,” the report quoted a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source as saying.
India have a plethora of spin options available for the first two tests, with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav making up a strong quartet. Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, and Bumrah make up the pace attack in the continued absence of recent Arjuna Awardee Mohammed Shami.
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As for the wicket-keepers, the selection committee chose to overlook Ishan Kishan despite picking three glovesmen in the squad.
Meanwhile, batting mainstay Virat Kohli has opted out of the first two Tests, citing personal reasons.
Updated India squad for first two Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan.
