Young Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan is poised to make his Test debut in the first match of the upcoming series against the West Indies. According to reports, Ishan Kishan is likely to be preferred over KS Bharat as the wicketkeeper for the series opener in Dominica, scheduled between July 12 and 17.
Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat were named as the wicketkeepers in India’s Test squad. Bharat made his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia in Nagpur earlier this year. Despite Bharat’s underwhelming performances with the bat in recent matches, the team management continued to support him.
Sources suggest that the team management was not entirely satisfied with KS Bharat’s batting displays in the five matches. The final decision regarding Ishan Kishan’s debut will be made before the match, as there were concerns about his wicketkeeping skills against spinners.
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The report further states that Ishan Kishan was the preferred choice as the wicketkeeper in the squad for the West Indies series, with KS Bharat selected as the second keeper ahead of Upendra Yadav. However, concerns were raised about Kishan’s wicketkeeping abilities, as he does not keep wickets for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy.
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In addition to Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal is also expected to make his international debut in the first Test and will bat at No. 3, replacing Cheteshwar Pujara. The preferred pace attack includes Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Jaydev Unadkat, while Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will serve as the team’s spinners.
Although KS Bharat struggled to make an impact with the bat during his brief international career, he showcased excellent skills behind the stumps. He scored 129 runs in 8 innings at an average of 18.43, with a highest score of 44 runs.
On the other hand, Ishan Kishan has represented India in 14 ODIs and 27 T20Is. The left-handed batsman has scored 510 runs in ODIs with an average of 42.5 and a strike rate of 106.03. In the shorter format, he has smashed 653 runs at an average of 25.11 and a strike rate of 122.74.