‘I only had 12 minutes to get set for the game’ – KS Bharat on keeping wickets in Kanpur Test against New Zealand

In the third day of India’s ongoing Test against New Zealand at the Green Park in Kanpur, the hosts were jolted with a blow. Before the start of the day’s play, veteran wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha complained off stiffness in his neck due to which he couldn’t take the field.

Thereafter, KS Bharat was called up to don the keeper’s gloves in place of the 37-year-old Saha. Bharat, who played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2021 Indian Premier League, said that he didn’t have a lot of time to get ready for the game.

KS Bharat opens up

“I was doing my morning routine, and then the support staff told me to get ready. I only had 12 minutes to get set for the game,” Bharat was quoted as saying during a conversation with Ravi Ashwin and Axar Patel, cricket.com reported.

Bharat didn’t flatter to deceive after being roped in as a keeper. To start with, he took a sharp catch to get rid of Will Young, who scored 89 runs with 15 fours. The catch gave Ravi Ashwin and India their first wicket after Young and Tom Latham put on 151 runs for the opening wicket.

Thereafter, he took another catch behind the stumps to get rid of the very experienced Ross Taylor, helping Axar Patel make a crucial breakthrough. Soon after, Bharat pulled off a brilliant stumping to pin Latham, who got out on 95 and missed the chance of reaching a Test ton.

On dismissing Young, Bharat said, “I knew the time I walked in that the ball is keeping low, so the best chance is to be behind the ball and keep making adjustments.”

After three days, India have their noses ahead by the slightest of margins as they are leading by 63 runs with nine wickets left in their second innings. The Black Caps looked good to take a lead after Latham and Young’s opening-wicket stand.

However, Axar’s five-wicket haul made sure that India gained a massive 49-run lead after the first innings. Overnight batters Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara will start proceedings on Day four of the encounter.