HYDERABAD: It was in November 2019 that Andhra wicketkeeper Kona Srikar Bharat was first drafted into the India Test squad as a cover for Wriddhiman Saha for the second game against Bangladesh. In November 2021, Bharat took the field in the first Test against New Zealand as a replacement for the injured Saha and managed to take two catches and stumped Tom Latham (95) off Axar Patel.
Three years since the first call, the Andhra batter is still looking to make his India debut. It is not that he fell out of the radar but a couple of factors, namely a phenomenon called Rishabh Pant, kept Bharat stranded on the bench during this period.
