'Rishabh Pant Due To Come...': Ex-India Star's Stern Warning To Rohit Sharma And Rahul Dravid Over KS Bharat

11.02.2024 - 13:27 sports.ndtv.com

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat's role in the Test team. Since making his Test debut last year against Australia in Nagpur, Bharat has scored just 221 runs in seven matches, averaging a meagre 20.09.

He is yet to score a half-century in the longest format of the game. Manjrekar feels since Bharat is not contributing much with the bat, the management should look at other alternatives.

Manjrekar doesn't feel the management should invest more time in Bharat, especially with Rishabh Pant waiting in the wings. "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.

cricket India Cricket Team England Cricket Team 2024 Rohit Sharma Rahul Dravid Rishabh Pant Sanjay Manjrekar Australia India

Kuldeep Yadav has been one of the unsung heroes for India in the ongoing Test series against England, which the hosts lead 3-1 with a game left to play. The left-arm wrist spinner has picked up 12 wickets in four matches, despite being somewhat underutilised by India captain Rohit Sharma. The 29-year-old has been an abled deputy to veteran spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who have done most of the damage with the ball in the ongoing series.

"Indian Players Are Gold In IPL": Sourav Ganguly's Honest Take On Rishabh Pant Return For Delhi Capitals

Former India skipper and Delhi Capitals' Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly expressed his feelings on Thursday ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 as star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant joined the Delhi Capitals squad. Pant missed the IPL 2023 after suffering multiple injuries in a horrific car accident on December 30, 2022. The 51-year-old asserted that Pant's inclusion is a really huge boost for the Delhi Capitals side ahead of the IPL 2024. The southpaw further said that he is extremely happy that Pant is back in the squad. "It's a huge boost for Delhi Capitals because Indian players are gold in the IPL. Obviously, he has not played much cricket and I hope he gets back to rhythm very quickly. It's been a while he is away from competitive cricket, almost 17-18 months. He has worked very hard to make a comeback. He is confident and wants to play for Delhi Capitals and India. I am extremely happy he is back and hope he gets through the season," Ganguly told Revsportz.

On Dhruv Jurel vs Rishabh Pant Selection Debate, Anil Kumble's "MS Dhoni" Verdict

Former India captain Anil Kumble has shared his views on young wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel, following his brilliant show in the fourth Test against England in Ranchi. Jurel starred with the bat as India beat Engand by five wickets at the JSCA International Stadium on Monday. Jurel smashed a gritty 90 in the first innings, before scoring an unbeaten 39 to see help India chase down 192. In first-choice keeper Rishabh Pant's absence, Jurel has managed to make a strong case for himself as far as the Test team is concerned.

"No One Bigger Than Game": On Rohit Sharma's Stern 'Hunger' Statement, India Great And Cricket Associations React

India skipper Rohit Sharma's assertion that Test opportunities should be only for those who show hunger for the format found resonance with state associations grappling with youngsters desperate to make a name in white-ball cricket but reluctant to grind it out in first-class games. With the advent of IPL, the club vs country debate has been raging for years now and Rohit's stern statement came at a time when two established names in Indian cricket -- Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan -- ignored a BCCI diktat to play Ranji Trophy quarterfinals, focussing instead on their IPL preparations.

Amid Controversy Over Joe Root's LBW, Ex-England Star Praises Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin For "Excellent Review"

Amid controversy over England batter Joe Root's LBW dismissal in the second innings of the 4th Test, former Three Lions pacer Steven Finn praised India captain Rohit Sharma and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the taking crucial review. This comes after former England captain Michael Vaughan had taken a swipe at the Hawkeye technology over Root's dismissal. The incident happened on the 17th over when Ashwin's delivery hit Root on the pads. While the umpire shook his head, Ashwin convinced Rohit to go for DRS.

How Kuldeep Yadav Defied Rohit Sharma's Field Placement Advice To Dismiss England Star

Despite conceding a 46-run lead in the first innings, Team India have managed to turn the tide on England on the third day of the ongoing fourth Test in Ranchi. India rocked England's batting order, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav inflicting the damage. Ashwin got the ball rolling with the wickets of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Joe Root, after which Kuldeep sparked an England batting collapse. The left-arm spinner refused to take India captain Rohit Sharma's advice, dismissing a well-set Zak Crawley on the very next ball.