Gavaskar wants Rohit to drop Bharat, picks KL Rahul as Keeper for WTC Final

[sage]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/keep-kl-rahul-in-mind-when-you-pick-the-xi-gavaskar-wants-rohit-to-drop-bharat-names-india-keeper-for-wtc-final-101678781223105.html

 

Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes KL Rahul should be considered as the keeper-batter for the WTC final between India and Australia at The Oval purely because of his batting abilities.

 

"You can see KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper. If he bats at No.5 or 6 in at the Oval (in the WTC final) then our batting will be stronger. Because he batted really well in England last year. He scored a century at the Lord's. Keep KL Rahul in mind when you pick your XI for the WTC final," Gavaskar told Sports Tak.

Highlighting Dinesh Karthik's comments on Bharat's issues as a keeper, Gavaskar said picking Rahul for just that one Test will give more depth to the Indian batting unit.

"Dinesh Karthik summed up the problems with his wicketkeeping quite beautifully (during commentary). The real test of a wicketkeeper is on pitches like these where the ball is turning. If you look at Travis Head's dismissal, when the ball turned and hit his stumps, KS Bharat's gloves were nowhere near the ball. That means, if the ball hadn't hit the stumps, it would have resulted in 4 byes. This is definitely a cause for concern. Whether they will select him in the XI or not is up to the selection committee but in England, you won't get pitches where the keeper has to stand up to the stumps. In that case, you can pick KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper and even Ishan Kishan can be considered. Their batting is better than Bharat's," he added.

Edited March 15, 2023 by sage

[putrevus]

Why Rahul, why not Ishan Kishen?

[vvvslaxman]

He is either becoming senile or wilfully stupid. Someone who played traditional cricket for long period would have advocated for specialist keeper not makeshift keeper. 

[vvvslaxman]

Kishan should be the keeper. No choice.

[AuxiliA]

I would even pick a 45 years old Dhoni over KS Bharat. So KL Rahul doesn't sound so bad. 

 

To be the devil's advocate, Rahul does have plenty of experience in ENG. Even though his average isn't flattering but he's still a much better batter than KS.

 

 

[putrevus]

Rahul in his life has not done well underpressure.He is another DK who has just gotten lucky to have played in this generation.

 

Bharat is upgrade over Rahul in big spots.

[Lord]

Should call Saha back

[BacktoCricaddict]

3 hours ago, sage said:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/keep-kl-rahul-in-mind-when-you-pick-the-xi-gavaskar-wants-rohit-to-drop-bharat-names-india-keeper-for-wtc-final-101678781223105.html

 

Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes KL Rahul should be considered as the keeper-batter for the WTC final between India and Australia at The Oval purely because of his batting abilities.

 

"You can see KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper. If he bats at No.5 or 6 in at the Oval (in the WTC final) then our batting will be stronger. Because he batted really well in England last year. He scored a century at the Lord's. Keep KL Rahul in mind when you pick your XI for the WTC final," Gavaskar told Sports Tak.

Highlighting Dinesh Karthik's comments on Bharat's issues as a keeper, Gavaskar said picking Rahul for just that one Test will give more depth to the Indian batting unit.

"Dinesh Karthik summed up the problems with his wicketkeeping quite beautifully (during commentary). The real test of a wicketkeeper is on pitches like these where the ball is turning. If you look at Travis Head's dismissal, when the ball turned and hit his stumps, KS Bharat's gloves were nowhere near the ball. That means, if the ball hadn't hit the stumps, it would have resulted in 4 byes. This is definitely a cause for concern. Whether they will select him in the XI or not is up to the selection committee but in England, you won't get pitches where the keeper has to stand up to the stumps. In that case, you can pick KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper and even Ishan Kishan can be considered. Their batting is better than Bharat's," he added.

 

I'd rather have Gavaskar himself keeping wickets and batting at #5 or 6.

[vvvslaxman]

2 hours ago, AuxiliA said:

I would even pick a 45 years old Dhoni over KS Bharat. So KL Rahul doesn't sound so bad. 

 

To be the devil's advocate, Rahul does have plenty of experience in ENG. Even though his average isn't flattering but he's still a much better batter than KS.

 

 

 

Keeping is a specialist job. Especially Test keeping. He may be better than Bharat. But t hat is a pretty low bar.

[BacktoCricaddict]

3 hours ago, AuxiliA said:

Rahul does have plenty of experience in ENG.

Experience, unlike strike rates, is over-rated.

[putrevus]

54 minutes ago, Lord said:

Should call Saha back

I don't think it is bad idea.

[rollingstoned]

3 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

He is either becoming senile or wilfully stupid. Someone who played traditional cricket for long period would have advocated for specialist keeper not makeshift keeper. 

Nah i don't think this is that bad a call actually, whatever you might say Rahul is a much better batsman than Bharat and one reason the TM is persisting so hard with him in test cricket at least is that they see his technique as being most suited to playing lateral movement. It will certainly make our batting look deep. 

It's a whole other thing though whether he is capable of keeping for 5 days. 

[vvvslaxman]

10 minutes ago, rollingstoned said:

Nah i don't think this is that bad a call actually, whatever you might say Rahul is a much better batsman than Bharat and one reason the TM is persisting so hard with him in test cricket at least is that they see his technique as being most suited to playing lateral movement. It will certainly make our batting look deep. 

It's a whole other thing though whether he is capable of keeping for 5 days. 

 

If he flops in both department that will be a horrendous selection. In English condtions keeping can be challenging. Specialist are better. Goal keepers like KL Rahul, KS Bharat may be found wanting. Probably Kishan is worth a try.

[bowl_out]

1 hour ago, Lord said:

Should call Saha back

Actually, why not? Saha lost his place to Pant and rightfully so. But he is no mug with the bat and is the best option for keeping. I don't know if he is playing domestic, but if he is, then he should surely be in contention at least for the WTC Final. 

[cowboysfan]

Rahul has never kept in a ranjji game as far i know.I am certainly dissapointed in Bharat though,he doesnt seem upto international cricket.

[Texan]

5 hours ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

 

I'd rather have Gavaskar himself keeping wickets and batting at #5 or 6.

And opening the bowling also

[Throwaib_Chuckter]

6 hours ago, Lord said:

Should call Saha back

Bahut Boria, bahut Boria.

Chuckte Raho

TC

[Texan]

We have some 30 odd Ranji Trophy teams and he is suggesting the one guy who has most likely not even kept in a single Ranji game (at least not in the recent past). Just to accommodate one guy by hook or crook, we need to bend backwards? Has Gavaskar even watched any domestic cricket to rule out everyone else that keeps wickets? What a joker!!!

[Texan]

4 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

 

If he flops in both department that will be a horrendous selection. In English condtions keeping can be challenging. Specialist are better. Goal keepers like KL Rahul, KS Bharat may be found wanting. Probably Kishan is worth a try.

More than that, can he even keep for 5 days in a row? It is a different thing to keep in a T20 game, but a Test match is a totally different story. If he starts having back spasms after a day of keeping, then who will keep? 

[Throwaib_Chuckter]

2 hours ago, Texan said:

More than that, can he even keep for 5 days in a row? It is a different thing to keep in a T20 game, but a Test match is a totally different story. If he starts having back spasms after a day of keeping, then who will keep? 

Worse can happen, back spasms can affect his performance  elsewhere.
Since he seems deflated and worried most of the time, it may already be affecting his work-life balance.

 

Chuckte Raho

TC