India should play their best wicketkeeper and KL Rahul isn't one, feels Monty Panesar

The last few months have been brilliant for Indian star KL Rahul as a batsman as he has been scoring runs everywhere. However, Rahul was not in great form at the start of 2023 and faced much criticism from his critics. The Indian batter also went through an injury during the IPL 2023 and had to be away from international cricket for almost 4 months.

After a tough time in the first half of 2023, he made a grand return to international cricket. Rahul smashed a ton in his comeback match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023. However, he also smashed a lot of runs during the ODI World Cup 2023 and played some useful knocks throughout the tournament.

Apart from scoring runs in the ODI World Cup 2023, KL Rahul also did some brilliant wicket-keeping behind the stumps. Rahul took some brilliant catches during CWC 2023 due to which he also earned a comeback in the Test side. Rahul smashed a century against South Africa in his comeback Test match in Centurion.

While KL Rahul has also been picked for the five-match Test series against England, he is unlikely to be India’s first-choice wicket-keeper batsman. Former England spinner Monty Panesar believes that India should play Rahul as a batsman rather than as a wicketkeeper. Panesar stated that India should play their best wicket-keeper. Panesar stated that India shall either play KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel.

Monty Panesar’s ‘KL Rahul’ advice to Team India ahead of England Test series

Monty Panesar said to News 18, “I don’t think India should go with KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper, I think he should actually play as a batsman. They should play their best keeper – either KS Bharat or the new guy Dhruv Jurel. They are going to play their best keeper. This is how India should pick their team, first you pick your best keeper then pick the three spinners you are going to play. then after you pick your top five or top 6 batters.”

“One or the other, Shreyas Iyer is obviously very attacking but I reckon India on turning pitches are going to play their best keeper,” Panesar concluded.

Monty Panesar was a member of the England team which defeated India in India back in 2012. England are the only team to defeat India on their home soil in a Test series in the last 12 years. England faced a 3-1 loss when they toured India back in 2021 and fell pretty badly against the Indian spinners.

England would travel to India three days before the start of the first match of the series in Hyderabad on January 25.

England would be led by all-rounder Ben Stokes and they will aim to continue their tremendous form in Test cricket. England have played really well in the Test format since Stokes took over as the captain of their Test side. The Three Lions came down from a losing situation in the Ashes 2023 and leveled the Test series by winning two of the last three Tests against Australia.

The Test series is very important from the perspective of the World Test Championship, due to which India would want to win the series and add necessary points to the WTC standings.