The national selectors will meet on this Sunday (21st July) to select the Indian squad for the upcoming tour West Indies and the USA. MSK Prasad-led selection committee can look at some new players for this tour. Kona Srikar Bharat can be one of the surprise choices for the upcoming Test series on the Caribbean soil.
India will play a three-match T20I series, three-match ODI series and two-match Test series against Windies in their upcoming international tour in West Indies and the USA. This international tour will run from 3rd August to 3rd September.
One of the most important topics of this selection process will be the Test wicketkeeper. After his impressive performances in the last Test series in Australia, Rishabh Pant is likely to maintain his spot. He also has the opportunity to travel as the first-choice wicketkeeper for the upcoming Test series.
Meanwhile, the 34-year-old Wriddhiman Saha is focusing on returning to the national team. Before his long-battling injury, Saha played his last Test in January 2018 during India’s tour of South Africa.
Ahead of the upcoming Test series, Saha will feature for India A in the unofficial Test series in West Indies. If he can prove himself in this series, it will put himself one step ahead to make a comeback in the national squad.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Kona Srikar Bharat is rising up
On the other hand, the 25-year-old Andhra wicketkeeper-batsman Kona Srikar Bharat is also fighting to earn his maiden international call-up. He is also in India A squad for the upcoming unofficial Test series against the hosts Windies A.
Currently, Bharat is an in-form wicketkeeper-batsman. In his last 11 first-class matches for India A, Bharat scored 686 runs. In this period, the right-handed batsman hit three centuries and two half-centuries. Also, as a wicketkeeper, he took 41 catches and made six stumpings in this period.
Bharat became famous in Indian domestic cricket circuit in February 2015 when he became the first wicketkeeper-batsman to score a triple century in the Ranji Trophy. In the 2014/15 Ranji Trophy Group Stages, the right-handed batsman scored 308 runs against Goa.
After making his first-class debut in December 2012, Bharat has played 65 matches where he has scored 3,798 runs (average 38.75). He has hit eight centuries and 20 half-centuries in the first-class career.
Bharat’s recent form is a serious threat for the other Indian wicketkeeper-batsmen. As he is performing consistently for India A, he is not far away to earn his maiden international call-up.