With the World Test Championship final a few days away, India’s wicketkeeping options for the match has come down to Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat due to the absence of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, meanwhile, has stressed that the team needed to back both keepers.
“Rishabh is an attacking batter and of course, everyone is missing him. But you can’t really do much about it and back the players who have travelled there. We have to back KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan. They have played a lot of cricket and are experienced enough. Ishan is somewhat similar to Pant. It’s also an opportunity for them to prove themselves in the longer format,” Chahal said in an exclusive interview with News18 CricketNext.
Bharat has played for India in 4 Tests while Kishan is yet to make his national team debut in the longest format.
A few days ago, former Australian cricketer Tom Moody had picked Bharat ahead of Kishan in his India playing XI for the WTC final against Australia.
“Ishan is an opener. I am not saying he is not capable of playing Tests. He is one for the future but he opens in limited overs cricket. Things will be different at number six. Yes he goes hard from ball one, which can be counter productive in England, but Bharat can also bat well and play shots also,” he said.
This is India’s second World Test Championship Final appearance. The Virat Kohli-led side had lost to Kane Williamson’s New Zealand in the 2019/21 cycle’s summit clash.