Let’s not be unfair to KS Bharat: Anjum Chopra backs wicket-keeper ahead of India’s tour of West Indies

Former Indian women team’s captain Anjum Chopra has backed the underfire KS Bharat for the upcoming tour of the West Indies. Bharat made his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia earlier in the year in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who is out of action after a horrific car accident.

While Bharat impressed with his wicket-keeping skills, he could not grab his chance with the bat on challenging spin-friendly wickets. Bharat could only score 101 runs in six innings of the series at an average of 20.20.

Furthermore, Bharat returned with scores of 5 and 23 in the World Test Championship final against Australia and once again could not deliver with the bat. However, Bharat did a decent job behind the stumps for the Indian team.

“He’s [Rishabh Pant] obviously a massive miss. But let’s not be unfair to KS Bharat. I thought he kept really well. That was his primary job – to keep wickets and he did it very well,” said Chopra in an interview with News18.

Chopra, who is seen doing multiple commentary stints, added we are looking it in the wrong way if we are expecting a lot of runs from KS Bharat as the top and middle order is supposed to do the lion’s share of the scoring.

“If we say that we have to rely on his batting and because we didn’t have that kind of a performance that Rishabh Pant could provide the team, then I think, we are probably looking at it in a wrong manner. We have a top-order that is supposed to bat, a middle-order which is supposed to support, and a lower-order which requires to just assist,” Chopra added.

Bharat will look to deliver the goods on the West Indies tour and also grab his chances with the bat. India will play two Test matches, three ODIs, and five Test matches on the tour of the West Indies.