'In Ranji Trophy Or First Class' - Parthiv Patel Questions KL Rahul's Credibility As Test Wicketkeeper
KL Rahul during a training session (x.com)
KL Rahul, set to make a return to India’s Test team through their upcoming series against South Africa, will likely be donning the wicketkeeper’s role in place of Ranji Trophy veteran KL Bharat.
A couple of days prior to the series opener at Centurion, former Indian stumper Parthiv Patel took to social media and made an indirect dig at Rahul by questioning his wicketkeeping experience.
Parthiv bats for a seasoned wicketkeeper for SA Tests
Former cricketer Parthiv Patel took to X (formerly Twitter) and advised the Indian team management to select a wicketkeeper based on their Ranji Trophy and overall first-class cricket experience. Taking a dig at KL Rahul without naming the current Indian batsman, Patel wrote:
“India’s test match wicketkeeper should be someone who is keeping regularly in ranji trophy or first class cricket….#imho #INDvSA #IndianCricket”
KL Rahul, throughout his 47-match career to date, has never kept wickets in Test cricket. The 31-year-old, however, has been constantly donning the wicketkeeping gloves in ODIs and T20Is for Team India.
Parthiv Patel, a former wicketkeeper himself, indirectly advised the Indian management to pick KS Bharat as their first-choice glovesman for the South African Test series. Bharat has so far played 74 first-class matches, including five Tests for India since his international debut in February earlier this year.
The 30-year-old Andhra cricketer, however, holds a substandard batting average of just 18.42 in the format.
Team India is set to face South Africa in a two-match Test series from December 26 onwards at Centurion Park. The series decider will subsequently be hosted by the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town during the first week of January.
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