KL Rahul relieved from Test wicketkeeping duties

[rollingstoned]

KL Rahul relieved from Test wicketkeeping duties

 

 

INDORE: KL Rahul’s role as a wicketkeeper in Test cricket has lasted just one series against South Africa. TOI has learnt that the 31-year-old, who cracked a brilliant 101 against in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion, will play as a specialist batter in the five match home Test series against England, which begins with the first Test in Hyderabad on January 25.

When the Indian cricket board (BCCI) announced the team for the first two Tests against England at 10.40 pm on Friday night, a lot of people were surprised to find the names of three wicketkeeper batters in the 16-man squad — Rahul, KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel, who received his maiden India call-up.

 

Clearing the air on Rahul’s role, a reliable source in the BCCI said, “Rahul will play as a specialist batter from now on. While in overseas Tests you just have to stand back to the pacers, wicketkeeping in India, where spinners may operate in tandem, isn’t easy. The ball can bounce or turn viciously on the spin friendly home wickets. You’ve to keep moving up and down as a ’keeper. We want a specialist in that role.

 

“Rahul, on the other hand, is one of our most valuable batting assets. We don’t want to burn him out by making him do the glovework as well. There is also a risk of him catching an injury while standing behind the stumps, which we can’t afford. Bharat and Jurel will be our wicketkeepers in this series.” Rahul, incidentally, had undergone a thigh surgery in May last year.

 

This decision provides KS Bharat, who last played for India in the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval in June 2023 (he was out for 5 and 23) a golden opportunity to make a Test comeback. In five Tests, Bharat has made 129 runs @ 18.42.

Meanwhile Jurel, it is learnt, impressed selectors not only because of his impressive show for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL but some fine performances for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. In 15 first-class matches, Jurel has scored 790 runs @ 46.47, with one century and five fifties, with a top score of 249.

 

“Jureal is a talented ’keeper-bat. We’ve been tracking this 22-year-old since the time he was playing for the India Under-19 team,” the source said.

 

Selectors have also given a Test recall to chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who played the last of his eight Tests in December 2022 against Bangladesh in Chattogram. Kuldeep had taken 5/40 & 3/73, besides scoring 40 to be named as the ‘Player of the Match’ on that occasion but hasn’t played another Test since then.

 

The source revealed that ‘keeper-bat Ishan Kishan had asked for ‘leave’ during the South Africa tour. “He wasn’t considered for the England series as he is yet to tell the BCCI that he can be considered for selection again,” he said.

[Number]

His life is so good. When he flops in batting, he is given the gloves. Once he does well as a batsman, he becomes pure batsman till next set of continuous failures.

Edited January 15 by Number

[Chaos]

I would only have rahul if he cant do wking. He is a walking wicket on tufnerd. Rather have iyer.

[Majestic]

So, he is back to opening or batting at 5.

[singhvivek141]

45 minutes ago, Majestic said:

So, he is back to opening or batting at 5.

He can forget about opening now..Jaiswal, Rohit & Gill are the first choice openers.

He can bat at no 5 (Rahane's position).

[Lord]

This unbalances the side so much

 

Who does Bharat come in for? You can't drop Iyer. It'll also mean Jadeja at 6 and Ash at 7. Again too much

 

If they drop a bowler again it can prove very costly.

[Gollum]

Most pampered Indian cricketer ever.

[Suhaan]

1 minute ago, Gollum said:

Most pampered Indian cricketer ever.

Puts on Pampers in big games to prevent humiliation in the middle

He should endorse it

[singhvivek141]

27 minutes ago, Lord said:

This unbalances the side so much

 

Who does Bharat come in for? You can't drop Iyer. It'll also mean Jadeja at 6 and Ash at 7. Again too much

 

If they drop a bowler again it can prove very costly.

That's not a guarantee...Iyer can be axed.

Gill, Iyer & KL are basically fighting for 2 spots I.e. no 3 & 5.

 

 

[Rightarmfast]

Mission Accomplished

[Lord]

15 minutes ago, singhvivek141 said:

That's not a guarantee...Iyer can be axed.

Gill, Iyer & KL are basically fighting for 2 spots I.e. no 3 & 5.

 

 

 

Iyer in Indian conditions will be first player I chose.

[cowboysfan]

gill will be dropped,i guess its a good thing to ave options for once.

[Vickydev]

#3 instead of Gill. Gill can go bat lower down or earn back his spot in opening slot. 

[Majestic]

1 hour ago, singhvivek141 said:

He can forget about opening now..Jaiswal, Rohit & Gill are the first choice openers.

He can bat at no 5 (Rahane's position).

You never know. They can drop one of them and play KL as opener because he has experience.

[Bigg Brother]

Wait before he makes comeback into T20 squad taking back us to where we were in last wt20.  

 

Have nothing against this news but the timing of it makes it dubious, the guy scored century and now that his spot secured, he will be relieved from keeping duties. Iyer should play over him. He is not some 50+ averaging batter, He is mediocre player averaging 33 something after playing 40 odd tests.

 

My stand will always remains the same about this guy- should be barred from wearing India cap in any format since 19/11/2023. 

[putrevus]

So why is this guy in team then.

[putrevus]

20 hours ago, singhvivek141 said:

He can forget about opening now..Jaiswal, Rohit & Gill are the first choice openers.

He can bat at no 5 (Rahane's position).

Is he that great that he needs to be given spot over Iyer in Indian conditions?

[singhvivek141]

49 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Is he that great that he needs to be given spot over Iyer in Indian conditions?

He is not, but he enjoys strong backing from "you know who".

[putrevus]

1 minute ago, singhvivek141 said:

He is not, but he enjoys strong backing from "you know who".

Dravid has costed India t20 world cup chances by playing this bozo over Pant already.

 

Gill or Jaiswal will make way.So this bozo will bat at number 3 now then?

 

I can understand if he was WK to some extent but this is just ridiculous.

[Frustrated]

Kela is not good enough to play as a specialist batter.  In the 5 test series, he will score one or maybe two centuries(max).   Rest all flop shows.  Going by the pattern.   Unfortunately he isn't going anywhere till Dravid is there.