On the third day of Ind vs NZ match, India and New Zealand teams came to play again. But there was a change in 11 players of India. Kona Srikar Bharat is keeping for India in place of Wriddhiman Saha, the team’s wicketkeeper.
Wriddhiman Saha batted first for the team on the second day and then did 55 overs of wicketkeeping. On the third day, he is not entirely fit. He has a stiffness in his neck, due to which he had to sit outside.
At the start of the match, BCCI itself gave this information through its Twitter handle. They wrote,
Wriddhiman Saha has a stiff neck. The BCCI medical team is treating him and monitoring his progress. KS Bharat is doing wicketkeeping in his absence.
UPDATE – Wriddhiman Saha has stiffness in his neck. The BCCI medical team is treating him and monitoring his progress. KS Bharat will be keeping wickets in his absence.#INDvNZ @Paytm
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 27, 2021
What did Saha do in the match?
Several stable players in the team have been rested in the first Test against New Zealand. Due to which many names have returned in the playing XI. Rishabh Pant has also been given rest in this series.
In such a situation, Wriddhiman Saha has entered the playing XI. However, he could not prove his entry into the game so far. When Team India won the toss in this match, Saha got a chance to bat on the second day of the first innings. But he played only 12 balls and scored one run and was dismissed by Tim Southee.
Who is Kona Srikar Bharat?
Kona Srikar Bharat comes from Andhra Pradesh. In the recent IPL, he has also performed brilliantly for Royal Challengers Bangalore. As a wicketkeeper-batsman, he played many match-winning innings. After which, he was given a chance against New Zealand. He has been added to the Test team as a backup wicketkeeper.
Talking about the first-class record of Kona Srikar Bharat, he has scored 4283 runs in 78 matches. These runs have come at an average of 37.24. In which he also has nine centuries and 23 half-centuries to his name. Talking about wicketkeeping, Bharat has taken 270 catches and 31 stumpings.
Looking at the recent form, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Kona Srikar Bharat scored 131 runs in five matches. In which 70 against Jammu and Kashmir and 48 against Jharkhand are included.
What’s going on in the match?
New Zealand batted on the second day after hanging India’s 345 runs on the board in the first innings. New Zealand’s opening pair Tom Latham (50) and Will Young (75), scored 129 runs without losing a wicket.
But the start of the third day was good from the point of view of the Indian team. Spinner R. Ashwin sent Will Young, who was going towards the century, back to the pavilion on 89. Whereas, just before lunch, Umesh Yadav has taken the wicket of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
