KL Rahul must play every game if team India is looking forward to take him to 2023 WC as a wicket-keeper: Harsha Bhogle

Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle was left surprised by India opting to go with KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper in the first ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka. He feels that if India is looking at him as a keeper in next year’s World Cup over regular keepers then he must do the role in all the games from now including IPL.

READ: Important for the core players to play most of the ODI games ahead of the World Cup 2023: Sunil Gavaskar

The wicket-keeping batter Rishabh Pant  was dropped from the squad, according to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, before the first One-Day International between India and Bangladesh on Sunday at Mirpur.

Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, announced after the toss that the other wicket-keeping batter in the team, KL Rahul, will keep wickets in his absence.

With him being out of the series, India was left only with two choices for the keeper’s role in the XI in Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul. But the team went with the latter as the first-choice keeper in the side whereas the southpaw, who is the specialist keeper was not preferred.

So, Rishabh has been released and Samson is in India! And back to KL Rahul to keep wickets when keepers are waiting for an opportunity and Ishan Kishan is there! I am quite confused. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 4, 2022

This decision of India to go with Rahul as a keeper in the side made many confused especially with Sanju Samson who has been rested for this tour, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan are all in the mix for the role.

It’s fair to say that the decision to go with Rahul as the keeper has increased the competition for the keeper’s role in the side. It remains to be seen who among them will be a regular keeper heading into the World Cup.

If the long term plan is to look at Rahul to keep wickets at the World Cup, he must keep in virtually every game from now and, ideally, in the IPL https://t.co/umbXAcx5OJ — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 4, 2022

Harsha Bhogle was also left confused with the team’s decision to opt for Rahul as a keeper. He said that if India wants KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper in World Cup over a regular keeper then he must do the role in all the games from now including IPL.

READ: 'Will take the wicket-keeper's role whenever team askes me to', says KL Rahul after India's 1st ODI against Bangladesh

Sunday's opening one-day international in Dhaka saw Bangladesh captain Liton Das choose to bowl against India after winning the toss. Opening batsman Das takes over as Bangladesh's ODI captain for the first time because regular captain Tamim Iqbal is out with a groin injury. The hosts have chosen three seamers and two spinners despite the absence of Tamim and speed bowler Taskin Ahmed.