Vizag boy KS Bharat selected in the Indian test squad against New Zealand

Vizag-based wicketkeeper-batsman, KS Bharat, who has set IPL alight with his stroke play this season, has once again come into the limelight after being selected in the Test squad against New Zealand. India – New Zealand test series is scheduled to be held from 25 November, 2021.

On 12 November, 2021, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), announced a 16-member team led by Captain Ajinkya Rahane. KS Bharat and Wriddhiman Saha are the two wicketkeepers in the team. 

Soon after the official announcement, from the BCCI, several cricket loyalists and members from the cricket fraternity, put out their best wishes for the Vizag lad. They congratulated him and pinned their hopes on KS Bharat getting a chance in the playing eleven. 

Among the many who took to social media on this occasion was the former Indian batsman, Venugopal Rao. He expressed his joy over an Andhra Pradesh lad being selected in the test squad and wrote that it was a proud moment for Andhra Cricket. 

In 2019, when India took on Bangladesh in its maiden Day-Night test at Kolkata, Bharat was drafted into the squad as a backup for the regular wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha. Subsequently, he was roped in for the ODI series against Australia as a cover for Rishabh Pant, who was injured during the first ODI in Mumbai. KS Bharat plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.

Before he was picked for India’s first pink ball test against Bangladesh in 2019, Bharat played for India Blue in the 2018-19 Duleep Trophy. Bharat has scored 9 centuries in his first-class career so far and 3 List-A hundreds. The 26-year-old rose to fame when he became the first wicket-keeper batsman to score a triple hundred in Ranji Trophy while representing Andhra Pradesh in 2015.