Ahead of today's India-Australia second ODI in Rajkot, the BCCI has named a backup wicketkeeper for the injured Rishabh Pant
Rajkot: The BCCI selectors on Friday (January 17) named KS Bharat as India’s back-up wicketkeeper for the second ODI against Australia. Bharat comes into the squad for the injured Rishabh Pant.
In the opening ODI of the three-match series against the visitors, Pant was injured in Mumbai. Australia won the game by 10 wickets.
Also read: Here is India's Playing XI for second ODI
“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named KS Bharat as the back-up wicket-keeper for the 2nd ODI in Rajkot against Australia,” a media advisory from BCCI said.
“With Sanju Samson & Ishan Kishan being a part of the India A side in New Zealand, the selection committee decided to name KS Bharat as back-up wicket-keeper,” it added.
UPDATE - K S Bharat named back-up wicket-keeper for 2nd ODI.
Full details here - https://t.co/c9Pk84rkbM pic.twitter.com/ulOi6aKnRg
The BCCI further stated, “The call was taken after Rishabh Pant flew to Bengaluru to undergo his rehabilitation protocol in the National Cricket Academy. The wicket-keeper batsman was hit on the helmet while batting in the 1st ODI in Mumbai and was ruled out of the 2nd ODI in Rajkot.
“His recovery is being monitored by the NCA and a call on his availability for the final ODI in Bengaluru will be taken accordingly.”
The 26-year-old Bharat has played 74 first-class, 51 List A and 43 T20s. He is from Andhra Pradesh.
In today’s (January 17) second ODI, KL Rahul is set to take up wicketkeeping duties.
India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, KS Bharat.
Australia
Aaron Finch (captain), Alex Carey (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (vice-captain), Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
(All matches start at 1.30 pm IST)
January 14 (Tuesday): 1st ODI, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (Australia won by 10 wickets)
January 17 (Friday): 2nd ODI, Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot
January 19 (Sunday): 3rd ODI, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
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