Picture Credit: X
Team India Head Coach Rahul Dravid on the eve of Christmas confirmed that KL Rahul, who led the Men in Blue to a 2-1 ODI series win against South Africa to keep wickets in the opening Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. The Proteas Men will lock horns with Team India in a two-match Test series, starting December 26.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Sunday, December 24, Rahul Dravid gave his vote of confidence for the wicketkeeper’s role. “I see it as an exciting challenge, an opportunity for him to certainly do something different. Obviously, with Ishan not being available this opportunity came up, we had a couple of keepers to choose from and Rahul is one of them,” Dravid said.
“We do understand it is not something he has done as often (keeping in Tests). But he has been doing it regularly in 50 overs cricket and that takes a lot of your body. He has prepared well over the last five to six months., he has done a lot keeping,” her further added.
However, speaking of Team India’s wicketkeeper role, former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel isn’t in agreement of the same. “India’s test match wicketkeeper should be someone who is keeping regularly in Ranji trophy or first-class cricket ….. #imho @INDvSA #IndianCricket,” he quoted in a post on X.
India’s squad for Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk), Abhimanyu Easwaran.
