India, led by Rohit Sharma, had a highly successful day on the field as they bowled out the West Indies for a mere 150 runs. After having won the toss, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite chose to bat first but failed to capitalize on the advantage.
Ravichandran Ashwin played a pivotal role in this triumph, securing yet another five-wicket haul, his 22nd in Test cricket. Following the dismissal of the West Indies, India performed admirably with the bat, ending the day unscathed with a total of 80 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma are set to continue their innings on Day 2.
Prior to the start of the match, India awarded Test caps to Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan. While Jaiswal’s debut was widely anticipated by pundits and fans, Kishan’s inclusion came as a surprise. Many believed that KS Bharat would be given further opportunities before any changes were made, and thus, his omission was met with significant criticism.
Here are three reasons why dropping Bharat was deemed a decision:
1. Bharat faced tough opponents and challenging pitches
KS Bharat made his Test debut during the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy earlier this year. Since then, he has played five Tests, all against Australia.
Among those matches was the final of the World Test Championship, which India unfortunately lost. Unlike Kishan, who is making his debut against a relatively weaker side, Bharat had to face the formidable Australians.
Additionally, the pitches were extremely challenging, and even the experienced players struggled. Therefore, Bharat deserved more time to prove himself, and his exclusion may leave him feeling unjustly treated.
2. Comparable first-class statistics
Some argue that Ishan Kishan is a superior batsman to Bharat, but the statistics present a different perspective. Kishan has a first-class batting average of 38.76, whereas Bharat is not far behind at 36.91.
Furthermore, Bharat has played 91 games, while Kishan has only made 48 appearances. Hence, Kishan’s sample size is considerably smaller compared to Bharat, who is nearing the milestone of 100 games.
The decision to favour Kishan over Bharat seems to be based on instinct or belief rather than solid evidence, disregarding the fact that Bharat has put in the hard work and gained experience through challenging situations.
3. Being made a scapegoat
India’s senior players have struggled in the longer format of the game recently. With the exception of Rohit Sharma’s century in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, the senior batsmen, including Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, have underperformed.
Ajinkya Rahane has been reinstated as the vice-captain due to his commendable performances in the WTC Final. Consequently, it appears that Bharat has been treated unfairly, as he has not been given ample opportunities to prove himself, while the senior batsmen have received more chances based on their reputations.
In conclusion, India’s decision to drop KS Bharat from the team has been met with criticism for several reasons. Bharat faced formidable opponents and challenging pitches, his first-class statistics are on par with Kishan’s, and he has seemingly been treated as a scapegoat while senior players receive more opportunities despite their recent struggles.
Time will tell whether this decision will prove to be a wise one or if it will warrant further scrutiny.
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