Bharat joins India squad as standby wicketkeeper

NEW DELHI: India was called up Andhra keeper-batsman KS Bharat as a standby ahead of the second ODI against Australia in Rajkot.

Bharat’s eleventh-hour call-up was necessitated after first-choice keeper Rishabh Pant sustained a mild concussion during India’s loss in Mumbai. Pant was struck on the helmet during his dismissal in the opening one-dayer.

In the 44th over of India’s innings at the Wankhede Stadium, a Pat Cummins short delivery ricocheted off Pant’s bat, struck him on the helmet and ballooned to point for a simple take. The 22-year-old took no further part in the game - with KL Rahul donning the gloves in the second innings - and was taken to the hospital for “overnight monitoring”. However, the scans reported nothing major and the wicketkeeper-bat was subsequently discharged. —Agencies