SA vs IND: Ishan Kishan withdraws from Test series against South Africa, KS Bharat named as replacement

New Delhi: Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan has withdrawn from the two-match Test series against South Africa due to personal reasons. Andhra Pradesh’s KS Bharat has been named as his replacement. The first test starts on Boxing Day in Centurion, followed by the second match on January 3 in Cape Twon.

“Mr Ishan Kishan has requested BCCI’s release from the upcoming Test series against South Africa due to personal reasons. The wicketkeeper was subsequently withdrawn from the Test squad. The Men’s Selection Committee has appointed Mr KS Bharat as his replacement,” BCCI said in a statement.

Bharat, who made his Test debut at home in the Border Gavaskar Trophy this year, may not be the first-choice ‘keeper when the time comes. Rahul had wanted to stay in Tests and did well with the Men in Blue behind the wickets after returning from injury.

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.

India’s squad for Tests: 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)