List of wicket-keepers India have tried in tests after Rishabh Pant's accident in 2022

Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has been out of action since December 2022.

Indian head coach Rahul Dravid decided to bring a bit of change to the Indian wicket-keeping department in the longest format of the game. Dravid informed in a pre-match press conference that KL Rahul will not be keeping in the five-match test series against England and team management will look to give KS Bharat another go or maybe try out Dhruv Jurel, who has been drafted in the test squad for the very first time. KL Rahul will be playing mainly as a middle-order batter.

Since his debut, Rishabh Pant kept on impressing everyone with his batting in tests, but it took him a while to seal the spot as first-choice keeper in the format. Pant won number of games for India in tests including the infamous Gabba test. Since Pant’s accident in December 2022, India have failed to give one wicket-keeper batter a consistent run in test cricket. Pant suffered a massive accident in December 2022 and since then he has been away from the cricketing action. India played nine test matches since then and tried out three different wicket-keepers in the playing XI since then.

Let’s have a look at the different wicket-keepers India tried after Rishabh Pant’s injury.

1. KS Bharat – 5 tests:

Andhra Pradesh wicket-keeper was part of the Indian squad for a long time, but got his opportunity in the playing XI in Pant’s absence. He made his debut in the Border Gavaskar Trophy played earlier last year. He has so far played five test matches for India. His all five test matches came against Australia, four in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 and one in ICC World Test Championship final at the Oval. Bharat scored 129 runs at an average of 18.42, he took 12 catches and inflicted one stumping. He was dropped from the playing XI against West Indies and South Africa.

2. Ishan Kishan – 2 tests:

Left-hand wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan made his test debut against West Indies in 2023. After a disappointing result against Australia in the ICC WTC 2021-23 final at the Oval, Kishan was drafted into India’s playing XI in the new ICC WTC cycle. He played two test matches against the Caribbeans and scored 78 runs in three innings.

Kishan replaced KS Bharat in the Indian playing XI, but the Indian team management decided to put him on waiting list against South Africa later in the year. Later, he opted out of the tour citing ‘Mental Health’ issues. Ishan Kishan took five catches against West Indies behind the stumps.

3. KL Rahul – 2 tests:

After impressing behind the wickets and with the bat in middle-order in ODIs, KL Rahul was given the responsibility behind the stumps in tests against South Africa in 2023-24 tour. KL Rahul played two test matches against South Africa and scored 113 runs in 3 innings he batted and took 8 catches behind the stumps.

Rahul impressed everyone with his ability as a wicket-keeper but once again team management has decided to change India’s keeper for the five-match test series against England. KL Rahul has done brilliantly as a wicket-keeper for India since his comeback from injury. Rahul became India’s first-choice keeper in ODI cricket.

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