A new challenge for Rahul: Dravid

PTI

Centurion, December 24

KL Rahul has always been confident about keeping wickets in Tests and the upcoming series against South Africa will give India’s new gloveman an opportunity to do something different, head coach Rahul Dravid said today.

With KS Bharat having been found technically inept in terms of batting abilities in the traditional format, the Indian team management’s other option was Ishan Kishan, who decided to take a ‘mental health’ break.

In that sense, Rahul wasn’t just the best choice amongst the troika but he was also the only viable option in a pressure scenario and on the pacer-friendly tracks here.

“I see it as an exciting challenge, an opportunity for him to certainly do something different. Obviously, with Ishan not being available this opportunity came up, we had a couple of keepers to choose from and Rahul is one of them. We had discussed with him and he was very confident and was keen on giving it a go,” Dravid said.

While Dravid understood that the challenges of wicketkeeping in Tests was entirely different but he trusted the fellow Bengaluru man to do a good job, having shown decent abilities in the 50-over version.

“We do understand it is not something he has done as often. But he has been doing it regularly in 50 overs cricket and that takes a lot out of your body. He has prepared well over the last five to six months, he has done a lot of keeping,” Dravid said.

While Dravid explained the rationale behind opting for Rahul as the wicketkeeper, he also dropped a hint that there won’t be much spin bowling on this track, effectively ruling out Ravichandran Ashwin as the second spinner.

“There’s not going to be that much spin bowling, so that will ease him into the role a little bit,” the coach said.

Having Rahul as keeper also gives the team the cushion of an extra batter, which in this case is Shreyas Iyer.

“It’s really nice to have him for the option he provides us. His ability with the bat will be useful and he has kept in white ball cricket and the question is of transforming that into red ball cricket,” Dravid said.

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