The Ajit Agarkar-led committee of selectors picked as many as three wicketkeepers in the squad for the first two Tests against England. Apart from KL Rahul, who has been keeping the wickets since the Asia Cup last year, the likes of KS Bharat and uncapped Dhruv Jurel have been named in the mix. Rahul has donned the keeping gloves predominantly in white-ball format and also performed the job in the two Tests in South Africa. Now that India are gearing up to host England for a series of 5 Tests at home, Rahul shall play as a specialist batter, leaving the wicketkeeping responsibilities for Srikar Bharat.
According to The Indian Express, Team India has already informed the BCCI and the selectors that Rahul won’t keep in the England Tests. Since the English guests will be welcomed with turners, the hosts would need to go ahead with a specialist keeper. The team management has made it clear to the selectors that Rahul was asked to keep wickets in South Africa due to the bounce in the pitch and will no longer perform the job against England at home.
“The Indian team will be playing on a turner track, 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 source from the BCCI as saying.
Since the spinners will be doing the heavy lifting, the management has decided to follow a rotation policy with the pacers. According to the report, the think tank has decided that no fast bowlers will be playing all five games and will be given rest to manage their workload. The selectors have named the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan. The question looms over the participation of veteran quick Mohammed Shami as he is yet to gain his fitness and hasn’t resumed bowling at full tilt.
