India vs New Zealand 1st Test: KS Bharat Keeps Wickets on Day 3 as Wriddhiman Saha Suffers Stiffness in Neck

Team India suffered a huge blow on Saturday as wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha sustained stiffness in the neck and didn’t take the field for Day 3’s play against New Zealand at Green Park, Kanpur. Young KS Bharat was assigned as his substitute to don the gloves. Bharat is yet to make his international debut for India.

“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,” BCCI released the statement.

The statement did not mention when Saha would be able to return to keep wickets.

Saha kept the gloves on Day 2 for India after an underwhelming day with the bat as he was dismissed on just 1. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer struck a hundred on debut to prop up India but a five-wicket haul by Tim Southee followed by half-centuries by openers Will Young and Tom Latham helped New Zealand sit on top at the end of day two of the first Test at the Green Park Stadium here on Friday. After India were bowled out for 345, New Zealand were 129/0 in 57 overs at stumps, trailing the hosts by 216 runs.

Bharat plays for the Andhra cricket team in domestic cricket, while he represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL last season. The talented wicketkeeper batter impressed many including Virat Kohli in the UAE with his batting abilities. He scored a match-winning knock in RCB’s last match of the group stage and finished the game off with a maximum against Avesh Khan.

He has scored 4283 runs in 78 first-class matches with the highest score of 308. Meanwhile, Saha has been going through a rough patch in red-ball cricket as he has been pipped by Rishabh Pant as the first-choice wicketkeeper. Pant has been rested for the series and Saha needs to capitalize on the chance.