Rahul Dravid once told me KS Bharat's keeping skills are next only to Wriddhiman Saha: VVS Laxman

Former India batter VVS Laxman recalled the time when India’s incumbent head coach Rahul Dravid lavished praises on Andhra wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat, who was brilliant behind the wickets while substituting Wriddhiman Saha in Kanpur against New Zealand in the first Test.

With India’s first-choice keeper Rishabh Pant rested for the series, Bharat has been named in the Indian squad as a backup for Saha, who played his first Test after the pink-ball affair against Australia in Adelaide last year.

However, the 37-year-old had to sit out on the third day due to a stiff neck, and Bharat grabbed the opportunity with both hands, as he kept extremely well on a difficult track with inconsistent bounce and turn.

Bharat took a brilliant low catch off Ashwin’s bowling to get rid of Will Young, while he affected a difficult stumping chance to send back Tom Latham, apart from also grabbing the caught-behind chance of Ross Taylor.

Recalling his conversation with Dravid, Laxman said on Star Sports, “I still remember Rahul Dravid raving about KS Bharat’s wicketkeeping skills. He told me that Bharat has good keeping skills, next only to Wriddhiman Saha in Indian cricket. It’s good to see him repaying the faith of the selectors and the head coach. I think he has justified the confidence shown in him by the selectors and the coach,” he added.

Highlighting the need for a team to have a dependable keeper in such conditions, Laxman said, “In these quality spin conditions, if you don’t have a reliable wicketkeeper then you’re going to miss a lot of chances. What we saw today was great technique and great presence of mind, he didn’t panic at all for someone who has come into this team recently and got to play only because Saha was injured,” concluded VVS Laxman.

Meanwhile, after the day’s play, Bharat revealed how he got only 12 minutes to prepare as he was told at the last moment that Saha would not be able to take the field. “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 in a video posted by BCCI.