IND vs BAN, 2nd Test: Rishabh Pant Released, KS Bharat Joins As Saha's Cover

The selectors took this decision so as to let Pant play some match time in domestic cricket ahead of the limited-overs series against the West Indies next month

The Indian committee of selectors on Friday released wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant from the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh. He will now be representing Delhi team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. MSK Prasad and team took this decision so as to let Pant play some match time in domestic cricket ahead of the limited-overs series against the West Indies next month. He has been replaced by Andhra’s Kona Shrikar Bharat who will the Indian team as Wriddhiman Saha’s cover for the remaining of the second Test. “Rishabh will be playing all the six matches (3 T20s and 3 ODIs) against the West Indies. The selectors thought it’s only prudent that he goes and plays in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Delhi,” a senior BCCI source was quoted by PTI as saying. Bharat, who has been a regular feature for India A in red-ball matches, finally got some consolation for his consistent performances during the last two seasons. He has scored 3,909 runs in 69 first-class games with eight hundreds and 20 half-centuries which includes a triple hundred. Bharat has been asked to join the team by Saturday morning. The stumper is extremely excited about his maiden call-up. “I got a call and asked to join the team I’m reaching at 8.30 tomorrow morning. I am looking forward to sharing the dressing room with my idol Virat Bhai. I played the first pink-ball match in Lucknow when it was introduced in the Duleep Trophy in 2015,” Bharat said. The ICC rule that came into effect in 2017, states that a substitute keeper can take place of the first team glovesman if he happens to sustain an on-field injury. However, Wriddhiman Saha is doing perfectly fine at the moment and Bharat’s inclusion is merely a precautionary measure.