The Boxing Day Test in Centurion witnessed not just cricketing action but also a social media storm brewing on Indian shores. Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel ignited the debate by suggesting on X that India’s Test gloveman should prioritize keeping wickets in Ranji Trophy or first-class cricket. This post landed him in hot water with fans, particularly after KL Rahul, with no prior experience in domestic keeping, was picked for the game ahead of established names like KS Bharat.
Rahul’s surprise inclusion as keeper-batter, necessitated by Ishan Kishan’s withdrawal, drew mixed reactions. While some saw it as a shrewd move to bolster the batting lineup, others questioned the message it sent to dedicated domestic keepers like Bharat, who have honed their skills for years.
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Patel’s social media comment seemingly echoed these concerns. “india’s test match wicketkeeper should be someone who is keeping regularly in ranji trophy or first class cricket…,” he wrote, sparking a flurry of online debate.
india’s test match wicketkeeper should be someone who is keeping regularly in ranji trophy or first class cricket….#imho #INDvSA #IndianCricket
— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) December 24, 2023
Fans took to the comments section, questioning whether prioritizing keeping experience outweighed Rahul’s exceptional batting prowess.
Kl has more runs in the last 2 years in ODIs than your international career 😂🤣
— cricket is love ❤️ (@Sarandeep__) December 24, 2023
KS Bharat is a walking wicket and more so in SA conditions. KL Rahul is the best option. Also he bats at 5/6 now. So hopefully he has enough time to recover between innings.
— Rama (@rammsays) December 24, 2023
KL Rahul has keeped in domestic 4 days cricket earlier in his career. KL Rahul is a proper wicket keeper batsman.
— Manindar Singh (@ErManindar) December 25, 2023
How many matches did you keep in FC before being selected to play for India in tests. Just curious to know
— Parag Mandpe (@ParagMandpe) December 24, 2023
KL Rahul Lord’s hundred > Your cricketing career tingu. pic.twitter.com/4ZAWVsB9US
— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) December 25, 2023
Perhaps sensing the backlash, Parthiv Patel backtracked, clarifying that his intent wasn’t to disparage Rahul’s selection but to raise a question about the value placed on specialized wicket-keeping skills. “My point wasn’t about KL Rahul. He could well be an option to make it in the lineup as a batter. There was never a doubt about his batting ability,” he explained
“My point wasn’t about KL Rahul. He could well be an option to make it in the line up as a batter. There was never a doubt about his batting ability.
But what message does this send to the keepers plying their trade in the FC circuit, when you devalue the skill to fit in an…
— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) December 26, 2023
However, Patel’s argument about potentially devaluing keeping skills resonated with many. They argued that prioritizing an extra batsman, as Rahul’s inclusion seemed to suggest, could disincentivize Ranji Trophy keepers from focusing on their primary skill. The trend, they feared, could lead to a future where batting prowess becomes the dominant factor in selecting Test keepers, even at the expense of specialized glovework.
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Rahul’s performance in Centurion further fueled the debate. Batting at No. 6, he anchored the innings with an unbeaten 70, providing much-needed stability after Rabada’s early blitz. His heroics highlighted his undeniable talent as a batsman, yet the question lingered: should it override the importance of specialized keeping skills in Test cricket?
