Former Indian Wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer has backed KL Rahul to continue as gloveman of the Indian team in the white-ball format of the game, following his brilliant performance in the just concluded ODI World Cup. In his brief spell as India’s wicketkeeper, the 31-year-old has been extremely good behind the wickets.
KL Rahul has been a part-time wicketkeeper for the bulk of his career, although he has been behind the stumps more frequently in recent years. The Karnataka wicket-keeper batter has extensive experience and may be better equipped to deal with the hurdles behind the stumps.
Speaking in an interaction at the Bombay Gymkhana, Farokh Engineer believes that KL Rahul is better suited to play as an Indian wicket-keeper batter in the white-ball format of the game and that he is worth platinum to be a part of the Indian side. He also believes that India should look to have a better wicket-keeper batter in the test team.
“For a One-Day or T20 game, you could play with a batsman-keeper and get away with it. You know, like KL Rahul. He has improved over the years. He kept wickets quite well. He is not a brilliant wicketkeeper. But what a great, brilliant batsman he is. He is definitely worth his weight in platinum to be in the side and keep wickets.”
“But (for Tests) You got to have your best wicketkeeper. You got to have wicketkeeper-batsman instead of a batsman-wicketkeeper. Of course, everyone is required to bat these days. In the opinion of selectors, Bharat is a better ‘keeper, is he?” Farokh Engineer said.
KL Rahul kept wickets for India in last year’s ODI World Cup and the 50-over series against South Africa. Following Ishan Kishan’s withdrawal a few days before the series against South Africa, the 31-year-old continued behind the wickets for the South Africa Tests.
There Are A Few Areas That I Can Think Of Straightaway – Farokh Engineer
Farokh Engineer identified specific areas for KS Bharat to improve behind the stumps, such as how a rapid rise from the traditional wicket-keeping position wastes an extra second and feels that he is the best wicket-keeper in India going around.
“There are a few areas that I can (think of) straightaway. But you don’t like to tell them, in case they think you are trying to be big-headed. If he just rises slowly, I would prefer that.
“Once you get up quickly, it is difficult to go down again and you waste that fraction of a second. But if you get up gradually with the ball, then you are… things have got to be ironed out. But (then) he is the best around,” Farokh Engineer added.
KS Bharat is just in his seventh Test for India, and he has struggled with the bat thus far, averaging 21.50 with no half-centuries to his name in red-ball cricket. During his Test career, the 30-year-old has made 16 catches and one stumping behind the wicket.
