Why is KS Bharat keeping wickets on Day 3 of the 1st India vs New Zealand Test?

Team India’s wicketkeeper for the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, Wriddhiman Saha, has not taken the gloves on Day 3 of the match. Instead, KS Bharat is doing the job behind the stumps.

As per an update by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Saha has stiffness in his neck, which is why Bharat was sent out to keep wickets when the third day of the Test match began on Saturday morning.

Taking to their official Twitter handle, BCCI informed:

“UPDATE - Wriddhiman Saha has stiffness in his neck. The BCCI medical team is treating him and monitoring his progress. KS Bharat will be keeping wickets in his absence.”

Saha was dismissed for 1 in the first innings of the Test. He has been the back-up keeper to Rishabh Pant in recent times. The last Test he played before the ongoing one was in Adelaide, when he managed scores of 9 and 4.

Heading into the Kanpur Test, 37-year-old Saha had featured in 38 matches in which he scored 1251 runs at an average of 29.09.

As for Bharat, the 28-year-old has featured in 78 first-class matches and has scored 4283 runs at an average of 37.24. He was part of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2021 and also hit a famous last-ball six to secure a win for his franchise in a match against Delhi Capitals (DC).

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New Zealand fight back in Kanpur Test

Meanwhile, New Zealand launched a solid fight back on Day 2 of the Kanpur Test against India. Despite a hundred from Shreyas Iyer on Test debut, the Kiwis managed to restrict the hosts to 345. Tim Southee stood out for New Zealand with a five-wicket haul.

The Kiwi openers then frustrated the Indian bowlers, adding 129 in 57 overs by stumps on Day 2. While Will Young returned unbeaten on 75 from 180 balls, Tom Latham was batting on a sedate 50 off 165.

At the time of filing this report, the New Zealand openers were still at the crease with Indian bowlers desperately searching for a breakthrough.