IND v AUS 2023: Rahul Dravid not 'concerned' about KS Bharat's batting ahead of fourth Test

The wicketkeeper-batter has scored only 57 runs across five innings in the first three Tests against Australia.

KS Bharat | GettyAhead of the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad, India head coach Rahul Dravid has played down concerns over KS Bharat’s batting, saying that it is important to look at his numbers in the context of pitches that have not been easy for batters.

The wicketkeeper-batter has scored only 57 runs across five innings in the first three Tests against Australia.

Bharat is featuring in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from the injuries sustained in the horrific car crash last December.

India had picked KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeping options for the four-match Test series but the former got the nod ahead of the latter.

"We are not (concerned)," Dravid said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday (March 7).

"It again comes to a question of perspective and understanding of some of the challenges and conditions that he has kept in and even though it's not a big contribution but he got 17 in the first innings.

"Got a nice contribution in Delhi where he played positively, and you need a little bit of luck in these conditions and he hasn't probably had that, and he is shaping really well and keeping really nicely for us. So we need to put batting performance in perspective," he added.

According to news agency PTI, Rahul Dravid was closely monitoring Ishan Kishan during India's optional training session at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday. KS Bharat reportedly didn’t attend the optional training session but he is expected to have a hit on the eve of the fourth Test.

It remains to be seen whether the Indian management will drop Bharat and give Kishan an opportunity in the fourth Test.

Despite losing the third Test in Indore, the hosts are leading the series 2-1. The fourth and final Test is due to get underway on March 9.

(India Today Inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 08 Mar, 2023

    Share Via