Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir believes the Indian team lacks a long-term plan for the test wicket-keeper position following Rishabh Pant’s injury. In the absence of Pant, KS Bharat emerged as the first-choice keeper for the Border-Gavaskar series but could not make an impact for the team as KL Rahul is expected to don the gloves for the first time in his Test career against South Africa.
Speaking on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir hopes KL Rahul’s debut as a wicketkeeper is not a one-off, stating that he wants to see him in the gloves for the February home series against England, which he believes will be the “real challenge” for the Karnataka wicket-keeper batter and believes that it is the right thing for India to try him at the spot till Rishabh Pant returns to the team.
“I hope this is not a one-off situation because that would be unfair. His real challenge will not be wicketkeeping in South Africa, but on rank turners, in that five Test match series against England when Ashwin, Jadeja, and Axar will be bowling”.
“No challenge is bigger than that. If you are looking at these two Test matches, then I would rather not play him because I would look at long-term plans, and India don’t have a long-term plan right now because you only have KS Bharat and Rahul now.
“But probably it is the right way of going about things in allowing KL Rahul do the job until Rishabh Pant returns,” Gautam Gambhir said.
KL Rahul’s chances of making it into the playing 11 have been boosted significantly in the two-match test series with his recent form. The 31-year-old will have competition for the wicketkeeper-batter place with KS Bharat but the Karnataka batter would get the edge for the spot given his experience in the South African conditions.
KL Rahul has spent most of his career as a part-time wicket-keeper, though he has spent more time behind the wickets in white-ball cricket. The Karnataka wicket-keeper batter has extensive experience and may be better able to deal with South Africa’s bowling onslaught.