KL Rahul Or Ishan Kishan? Harbhajan Singh Predicts Who Will Keep Wickets For India vs South Africa

Former spinner Harbhajan Singh has urged Team India to replace Ishan Kishan with KL Rahul as the wicketkeeper of the Test team for the upcoming two-match series against South Africa.

KS Bharat was the preferred option when Rishabh Pant was sidelined after being involved in a horrific car accident towards the end of last year. Bharat, however, failed to impress and was replaced by Ishan Kishan during the tour of the West Indies. He played in both the Tests and enjoyed good outings behind the stumps. The southpaw also scored a quickfire fifty in the second Test.

While he is expected to keep the wickets in the first Test against South Africa, Harbhajan Singh has said KL Rahul should don the wicketkeeping gloves if the team management decides to include one of them in the playing eleven. The Karnataka star has not played a Test since the Delhi Test against Australia earlier this year. In that game, Bharat was given the wicketkeeping responsibility.

“I want to see KL Rahul keep wickets in South Africa. I don’t think he has a lot of interest in wicketkeeping, but he did it when he had to for the team. It could be possible that Ishan Kishan is the designated wicketkeeper and Rahul plays as a pure batter. If I had to choose one, I would go with Rahul,” Harbhajan Singh told Sports Tak.

India will have to bat well: Harbhajan Singh

Speaking further, Harbhajan Singh said that India will have to perform well with the bat in order to get a good result in the Test series. India are eyeing their first-ever Test series win in South Africa. Harbhajan Singh said that while India have a good chance of creating history, the batters will have to step up to make it possible.

“India will have to bat well. If we manage to bat well on those pitches, this is our best chance to win in South Africa because our bowling is very good. Mohammed Shami is in great form, then we have Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

“I don’t know why Umesh Yadav wasn’t picked in the squad. South Africa are a good team, but they aren’t as dominating as they used to be. If India have to win, it will be crucial to score at least 350 runs in the first innings,” said Harbhajan Singh.

Apart from Tests, India will also play three T20Is as many ODIs against the Proteas. The tour will kickstart with the T20I series on Sunday (December 10).