India defeated England by 106 runs in the second Test of the five-match series in Visakhapatnam, although it was hardly their most convincing performance.
Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal carried the hosts for the most part. While Bumrah took nine wickets and was named Player of the Match, Gill and Jaiswal produced significant batting contributions to compensate for the lack of returns from the other Indian hitters.
One such player was KS Bharat, who scored 17 and 6 in his birthplace of Visakhapatnam. He also squandered a stumping opportunity, making his Test poor both behind and ahead of the wickets.
India’s team for the following three Tests of the series is still undecided. Though Rahul Dravid, the head coach, supports KS Bharat, it’s fair to assume that his performance might not have lived up to the expectations.
Here are three reasons why KS Bharat should be omitted from India’s Test squad for the third match against England.
1. India need to explore their bench options
India had initially named three keepers to their team for the first two Tests: KS Bharat, KL Rahul, and Dhruv Jurel. Dravid subsequently stated that Rahul will be a frontline hitter, but the return of his quadriceps ailment means he is unlikely to wear the gloves in the red-ball format.
However, India still has better alternatives than KS Bharat. Jurel has a great first-class record, and if the team wants to cultivate a backup for Rishabh Pant, they should focus on developing the kid.
Another name in the mix is Ishan Kishan, who is presently on leave. The southpaw is relatively clean behind the stumps and possesses attacking skills that might benefit India in spin-friendly conditions.
Whether Kishan will join the squad in the last three Tests is unclear. But, if not, Jurel can replace Bharat. Some may even think he’s a better choice.
2. KS Bharat fails to impress with his wicketkeeping skills
Wriddhiman Saha was India’s main wicketkeeper in Tests until Pant cemented his spot in the squad, which was mostly due to his superb glovework.
It’s debatable if keepers’ primary talent in modern-day Test cricket has shifted to batting, but if someone excels with the gloves, they have a lot to offer the team. Bharat’s batting performance has been disappointing, and he hasn’t stood out with the gloves enough to merit selection on that alone.
KS Bharat missed a stumping in the second Test against England. While he has had a few great performances since his Test debut, he has not been as consistent as India would want. His performance with the DRS has also been below standard.
Bharat may still have been backed if he were a Saha-like goalkeeper. But he isn’t, which means that he should be judged mostly on his batting performance.
3. KS Bharat’s batting woes continue despite ample opportunities
Bharat has played seven Tests for India, and although it may not sound like much, he has had enough of opportunities to bat in good conditions. Six of these matches have been at home, when he is anticipated to provide at least a few memorable innings.
Unfortunately, KS Bharat has yet to record a half-century in this format. He has only scored 221 runs at an average of 20.09 and a strike rate of 52.99, as India has suffered a significant decline from what Pant used to offer.
The manner of Bharat’s dismissals has also been quite upsetting. He got out to rank long hops in both innings of the second Test, and while he fought hard in the series opener, he has yet to demonstrate the attitude and skill required for international cricket.