A natural: Bharat, at a practice session at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Monday, displays a combination of right technique, reflexes, anticipation and confidence in his ’keeping.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY
This is a vignette from the recent Delhi Test. The sharply turning delivery from Ravindra Jadeja took off from the pitch and climbed nastily raising a puff of dust. The batter was clueless.
Not K.S. Bharat, he rose with the ball, and calmly, allowed the sphere to ease into his big gloves. He did not grab at the ball. He waited for it, balanced himself on the balls of his feet, before gathering with the fluency of a natural.
It was a combination of right technique, reflexes, anticipation and confidence.
Keeping wickets to the bowlers of the calibre of R. Ashwin and Jadeja on these tracks can be daunting.
Chances appear and disappear in a flash as the ball turns and jumps or keeps low. The task challenges you.
Handed his Test cap in Nagpur, the 29-year-old Bharat — he has toiled on the domestic circuit for years — has been impressive behind the stumps in the first two Tests.
On keeping wickets to Ashwin and Jadeja, Bharat said here on Monday, “They are top-class spinners.
“It is not easy to keep to them, at the same time it is not that difficult. All this while playing domestic and ’keeping for 10-12 years, you enjoy the job and are mature enough to keep to the best spinners.”
Another key role
Apart from his impressive glovework, Bharat has been given a key role for his inputs in DRS calls.
He revealed, “Rohit bhai said ‘You are the best judge since you stay so close to the batter.
“So whatever you feel, you just give me and the bowler your opinion. Just back your instinct and put it across.’”
Positive
Bharat said his match-winning cameo, an unbeaten 23 in Delhi, came about because he trusted his defence and was positive.
“Rohit bhai had told me I would be batting at No. 6. I was prepared.”
Asked whether India should play K.L. Rahul or Shubman Gill, Bharat played it safe. “It is for the team management to decide.”
Bharat’s rise carries a message: Patience pays.