'Might see him in playing XI regularly': Pathan backs 'fantastic' youngster to replace senior cricketer in India Test XI

Bharat had replaced first-choice option Wriddhiman Saha on the third morning after the veteran suffered a stiff neck.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan feels that India might play Kona Srikar Bharat regularly in the playing XI in the future in Test cricket after his impressive show on day 3 of the opening Test against New Zealand in Kanpur. Bharat had replaced first-choice option Wriddhiman Saha on the third morning after the veteran suffered a stiff neck.

Irfan Pathan (PTI)

Pathan was left mighty impressed with the way in which Bharat adjusted to the low bounce of the pitch to complete the dismissal of Will Young, the first wicket that fell on the third morning of the Test. After testing him enough with various angles and variations, and eventually it was a flatter delivery outside off, with a low bounce, that did the magic against the opener, who walked back 11 short of a well-deserved century. The batsman was on backfoot and looked to push it down offside but it took an outside edge and Bharat went low to complete the catch.

Impressed with his efforts, Pathan sees Bharat as an Indian Test regular in near future especially with Saha in the twilight of his career. Meanwhile, India's present primary-choice keeper, Rishabh Pant, has been rested from the series with workload management in mind.

"Don't forget that he is replacing Saha. And when you are not playing as a first wicketkeeper and coming in and just doing your job is much more harder and there is lot more pressure. But I really loved the way he bend his knee to get that right position to take that catch especially on this pitch. You need to adjust to the bounce on the pitch when it is high, but to adjust on a pitch with low bounce and take that catch is fantastic effort. We might be seeing him in the playing XI regularly as well. Because Saha is at the twilight of his career," Pathan told Star Sports during Lunch on Day 3 of the first Test.

Bharat also inflicted the stumping of Tom Latham as the opener fell five short of what could have been his maiden Test century against India. Axar Patel was clever to see Latham charge down the track and hence went wide and short. Latham got a little inside edge and Bharat collected it behind stumps to rip off the bails.

India bundled New Zealand 49 runs short of their first innings total of 345. Axar Patel picked his fifth five-wicket haul while R Ashwin picked three wickets.

In reply, New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson removed Shubman Gill in the first over of the third innings before India took their lead to 63 runs at stumps on day 3.