WATCH: Wicket-keeper batter KS Bharat gives tribute to Lord Ram after hitting century against England Lions

During the first unofficial Test involving India A and the England Lions on Sunday, wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat made a strong case for his selection. On the fourth day of the match, Bharat scored an undefeated century with 116* runs, which was crucial in helping India A (227 & 426/5) secure a draw versus England Lions (553/8d & 163/6d).

Bharat’s century is noteworthy since India wants to remove KL Rahul from the wicketkeeping role. Head coach Rahul Dravid, who has been a staunch advocate for Bharat’s involvement in Test matches. He supported him inspite of  his past batting struggles, is relieved about the century.

Nine of the 30-year-old’s 15 boundaries came off spinners, most of which were aimed towards the on-side. He batted well on both ends of the pitch. Bharat scored his tenth first-class hundred earlier today against the England Lions. He has dedicated the achievement to Lord Ram in advance of the January 22 Pran Pratishtha event at the Ayodhya Temple.

Nightwatchman Manav Suthar (89 not out) proved to be a dependable companion. Along with Bharat, his tenacity paid off, as even the England Lions admitted they had lost by tea time on an Indian track.

“You don’t often see a five-Test series” : Zaheer Khan

According to bowling legend Zaheer Khan, the focus is going to be upon Bazball. He wants to see if England maintains their newfound approach in India under duress. The five-match Test series between India and England is scheduled to begin in Hyderabad on January 25. England hasn’t triumphed in a Test series in India since 2012. But since the visiting squad started playing under the Bazball style of play alongside head coach Brendon MCcullum, there has been a lot of excitement. 

In an episode of JioCinema called “Insiders Preview Ind vs. Eng,” Zaheer Khan gave viewers a general idea of what to anticipate from the tantalising matchup. They talked about the pitches that were available, the significance of the toss, and England’s Bazball-focused strategy.

Zaheer Khan said, “You don’t often see a five-Test series taking place these days. Bazball will remain in focus, and we’ll see whether England’s approach will remain the same. The kind of pitches that we’ll be playing on will also be another point of discussion for sure. But both teams will be eager to prove their supremacy.”