Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed disappointment over wicketkeeper KS Bharat's batting performance in the ongoing Test series against England.
Bharat has failed to live up to the expectations, registering scores of 41, 28, 17 and 6 in the first two Tests in Hyderabad and Vizag.
First-choice wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is yet to regain fitness after sustaining multiple injuries in the horrific car crash in December 2022. In his absence, Bharat and Ishan Kishan have performed keeping duties in the longest format over the last 14 months.
With Kishan being overlooked in the Indian squad since pulling out of the South Africa Test tour last December, Bharat got the nod for the first two England Tests. Dhruv Jurel was the other gloveman in the Indian squad for the first two Tests against England.
Not impressed with KS Bharat’s exploits, Manjrekar has urged the Indian selectors to pick keepers who can make batting contributions.
"It's a lot like he’s playing his first series. He’s played before, he played all four Test matches against Australia and Rishabh Pant is due to come any time soon. So, I am not sure whether it is worthwhile and makes sense to keep investing in KS Bharat. He’s also not 20 years old and India had moved on from KS Bharat and gone to Ishan Kishan. So he’s done just enough to maybe just keep his place in the side. This team management believes in being fair to every individual, but I would personally look at another option before Rishabh Pant comes in and takes his place," Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, Bharat amassed 101 runs across four Tests against Australia. He also featured in the WTC final and returned with scores 5 and 23.
Subsequently, Bharat was left out of the playing XI during the tour of West Indies, where Kishan performed the keeping duties in the two-Test series. Bharat didn’t get a chance during the recent tour of South Africa too as KL Rahul kept wickets for the first time in Test cricket.
"India will start looking at KS Bharat whether his keeping is that good we can afford to have somebody who is not contributing as much with the bat. India of late and the world over, if you see is going for keepers who are decent good keepers but contribute with the bat. I mean look at Rishabh Pant in the last 3-4 years, his contribution with the bat. So, those are things that India will have to look at," Manjrekar added.
