Kishan dons wicket gloves while Rahul To plays as a specialist batsman against Eng

KL Rahul will play the Test series against England as a specialist batsman and Ishan Kishan will take on the role of wicketkeeper.

New Delhi: Team India is currently preparing to face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series. However, once the Men in Blue squad is done with it, they will face a bigger challenge when they take on the Ben Stokes-led England team in a five-match Test series starting on January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad .

According to a Cricuzz report, KL Rahul will not be the primary wicket-keeping option during the series as he wants to focus more on his batting, and young Ishan Kishan will be the man behind the wickets and donning the gloves. Ishan Kishan ruled himself out of the SA Test series as he needed a break from cricket and KL Rahul played that match as the team’s wicketkeeper.

The star batsman did a phenomenal job as a batsman and wicketkeeper during the recently concluded series against the Proteas, which India managed to draw 1-1.

However, in a worrying development for the Indian team, pace spearhead Mohammad Shami is likely to miss the first two matches of the upcoming five-Test series against England starting January 25 as the pacer is yet to resume bowling following an injury. ankle injury, reports say.

Shami has not yet started bowling and he will have to join the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to prove his fitness, according to a report by Indian Express.

The pacer was part of the Test squad against South Africa but his availability was dependent on his suitability. The BCCI later stated in a press release that Shami had not been cleared by the medical team and the fast bowler was ruled out of the two Tests.

Considering the availability of fellow fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, the BCCI might lean towards a cautious approach on Shami’s return.