CRICKET
Ishan Kishan to replace KS Bharat for 4th Test
In a cricket-crazy nation like India, a loss in a home Test match in conditions heavily stacked in favour of spinners will lead to introspection.
That’s exactly what has happened.
After losing the third Test by nine wickets in Indore, the Indian team management might make a couple of changes in the team for the fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting from Thursday.
After a prolonged lean patch, opener KL Rahul was the obvious target in the third Test.
He was dropped and replaced by Shubman Gill, who failed to deliver in both the innings.
But the problem in India’s Test batting unit goes deeper than just one player.
There has been a collective failure from the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KS Bharat.
Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin masked the deficiencies in the first two Tests but the moment there was no lower-order rescue act in the third Test, India succumbed.
That’s where Ishan Kishan comes into the mix.
KS Bharat who kept wickets in the first three Tests, might make way for Kishan.
Rahul Dravid, the head coach, did spend a lot of time working with Kishan as he received two separate hits in the nets.
Bharat has scored a total of 57 runs in five innings with scores of 8, 6, 23 not out, 17, and 3.
He hasn’t played particularly well in this series though he has performed admirably behind the stumps in trying circumstances.
The one thing that could work against Kishan is the fact that the Australian team has two off-spinners.
In white ball cricket, where he must immediately attack, Kishan has struggled against deliveries that turn away.
However, if is another rank-turner, then Ishan would be an ideal batter to come in and change the game’s scenario with his quick-fire cameo.
Ishan, who has played domestic cricket regularly for Jharkhand, has played on the turners.
On the other hand, it is highly unlikely that Australia will make any changes in their playing XI after their thumping win in Indore.
Mohammed Shami, who was rested for the second and third Test in Indore, might come in for in the fourth Test. Siraj, who has played in all three formats in the past year, might get a breather.