Hyderabad: India head coach Rahul Dravid on Tuesday confirmed that KL Rahul will not don the gloves in the five-match Test series against England starting Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here.
KL Rahul was expected to keep wickets in the home series against England. The Karnataka batter kept wickets during India's most recent Test series in South Africa in December-January. However, the selectors chose KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel in the squad, which has opened up the discussion about who will don the gloves.
However, Rahul Dravid has cleared all the doubts saying that KL Rahul will not be the wicketkeeper for the series as the playing conditions will require a specialist stumper.
"(KL) Rahul will not be playing as a wicketkeeper in this series and we are clear about that in the selection itself. We have picked two other wicketkeepers and obviously Rahul did a fantastic job for us in South Africa and really played a big part in helping us draw the series," he said in a pre-match press conference.
"But considering five Test matches and playing in these conditions the selection will be between the two other keepers we have."
KS Bharat was a gloveman during India's home series against Australia last year and the World Test Championship final. Ishan Kishan also kept wickets during a two-match Test series against West Indies last year but he has taken a break from international cricket due to mental fatigue.
Dhruv Jurel is yet to make a debut on the international stage and he might have to wait since KS Bharat will be the first choice.
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