Ishan Kishan pulls out of SA Test series, Bharat named replacement

It is expected that KL Rahul will keep wickets in the Boxing Day Test, considering Bharat's inept technique against quality pace bowling

Indian player Ishan Kishan at a warm-up session before the start of the 5th T20I cricket match between India and Australia, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI

Indian team's premier wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will not be a part of the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa as he has flown back home due to personal reasons.

Kona Bharat, who is currently in South Africa as India 'A' skipper, has been inducted into the main squad.

"Ishan Kishan has requested the BCCI to be released from the upcoming Test series against South Africa citing personal reasons. The wicket-keeper has subsequently been withdrawn from the Test squad. The men's selection committee has named KS Bharat as a replacement," BCCI said in a statement.

Kishan made his Test debut in the West Indies after Bharat was given five Test matches in which he failed to score a single fifty.

It is expected that KL Rahul will keep wickets in the Boxing Day Test, considering Bharat's inept technique against quality pace bowling.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk).