Saba Karim backs 'regular wicketkeeper' over KL Rahul for England Tests

As the India vs England Test series is all set to get underway from January 25 in Hyderabad, the Rohit Sharma-led India would be aiming to find their right team balance. While India have a set core of their top order and the bowling lineup, the big debate is who will play between KL Rahul, KS Bharat, and Dhruv Jurel as a wicketkeeper-batsman in the first Test match.

KL Rahul scored a ton on his Test return against South Africa and has been the first wicketkeeper choice for India in the last few international games. On the other hand, KS Bharat played the role of a backup wicketkeeper for a long time and made his Test debut against Australia last year. However, Bharat didn’t stand up to the expectations and was excluded from the team after the tour. Dhruv Jurel will be playing his debut Test series and his chance to play in the first Test match is very low.

While KL Rahul has the most chance of playing in the first Test match, the right-handed Indian batsman has been in brilliant form from the day he made a return from his injury in the Indian side. Former Indian wicketkeeper Saba Karim also praised KL Rahul and stated that he is in ‘sync’ with the demand of wicketkeeping in the Indian Test side and India were wise enough to use him abroad. However, Karim added that for a home series, India shall go back to a regular wicketkeeper.

Saba Karim on KL Rahul’s inclusion as a wicket-keeper in the first IND vs ENG Test match

While speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Saba Karim said, “Most of the time you keep wicket to the seamers and that is less strain on the mind and body. But I think for a home series, India will have to go back to a regular keeper.”

KL Rahul had to go under a lot of criticism for his poor form at the start of 2023 due to which he was also dropped from the team. Rahul also sustained a thigh injury during the IPL 2023 and had to be away from the field for 3 to 4 months. Rahul went under intense training during his rehabilitation period and faced a lot of pain.

However, it was a grand return for KL Rahul to international cricket as he slammed a century in his comeback match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023. Rahul also kept wickets for India during the ODI World Cup 2023 and took some brilliant catches behind the wickets. Rahul also played crucial innings during the competition out of which the most remembered knock is 95* against Australia in India’s opening game of the tournament.

The Indian team can also give a chance to KS Bharat as he is more of a wicketkeeper batsman whereas Rahul can only play as a main batsman. Bharat smashed a century against England Lions during the first unofficial Test played in Ahmedabad.

England are the only team who have defeated India in India from the last 12 years whereas they have also had to face humiliating losses in the last two series.