India finished Day 1 of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, in Nagpur, on a high. After bowling Australia out for 177, courtesy of Ravindra Jadeja’s five-fer, India, led by Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 56*, were 77/1 at stumps on Thursday.
While the pre-match talk was all about the spinners and the “doctored” pitch, it were the Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami who dismissed the Australian openers, Usman Khawaja and David Warner, inside three overs to leave Australia reeling at 2/2 after Pat Cummins elected to bat first.
Debutant wicket-keeper KS Bharat was in the scanner straight-away as he had to get involved in the DRS decision which India took to see the back of Usman Khawaja.
A full swinging in ball from Siraj hit Khawaja on the pad. A loud appeal from the Indians was denied by the on-field umpire.
KS Bharat made his Test debut in Nagpur
Going by the vociferous appeal from the bowler, the keeper, and the slips, Rohit Sharma was quickly near them to discuss the plausibility of taking a review. India discussed hard over it and it was only with one second remaining that Sharma signaled the “T” for the review. It turned out KS Bharat, the debutant who is taking place of the injured Rishabh Pant, who suggested Sharma go for the review, which eventually fell in India’s favor and the hosts had their first wicket.
After the DRS call was proved to be correct, KS Bharat got a pat on the back from Sharma and Virat Kohli high-fived him. This way, KS Bharat earned the trust of Rohit Sharma, the captain, who was reliant on the keeper in the later DRS discussions as well.
The 29-year-old KS Bharat has been Rishabh Pant’s understudy for over a year and got his opportunity to start in the Test with Pant injured. He had, though, kept wickets for India during the New Zealand home series when Saha got injured during the game.
KS Bharat has played 86 first-class matches for Andhra Pradesh, wherein he amassed 4707 runs at an average of 37 with the help of 9 centuries and 27 half-centuries. He has taken 296 catches and affected 35 stumpings in first-class cricket before making his Test debut.
