IND vs NZ 1st T20: K L Rahul shows nifty glove-work during practice session

As India and New Zealand get ready for the five-match T20I series, K L Rahul on Thursday showed some nifty glove-work during the practice session.

Rahul, who replaced Rishabh Pant as a wicket-keeper, was seen keeping wickets with Jasprit Bumrah and Navdeep Saini charging into bowl.

BCCI tweeted the video of the practice session and captioned the post as: "Getting your keeping gloves ready @klrahul11? #TeamIndia #NZvIND".

 

Skipper Kohli has cleared the air regarding as to who will keep wickets in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand and said that Rahul's wicket-keeping skills serve best the balance of the side.

The Men in Blue recently defeated Australia 2-1 in a three-match ODI series.

Regular keeper Pant was concussed in the first ODI of the series and as a result, Rahul had to keep wickets in the second and third ODI.

In the second ODI, Rahul went on to score 80 runs and performed well behind the stumps in the matches that followed.

After India's 2-1 series win at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli told reporters, "It definitely allows us to play an extra batsman. It is an important factor while choosing the side. You can look at Rahul Dravid's example in the 2003 World Cup, when he started keeping behind the stumps, the balance of the side became a lot better and the side was able to play an extra batsman."

"KL Rahul is open to playing anywhere because he is a proper batsman. He is not a guy who will go slam-bang from ball one, but he can do what he did in Rajkot, he has reflected on what he needs to do in the past six months. It is a boost that he can keep wickets as well," he added.

India and New Zealand will play five T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests.

The first T20I will be played on January 24 in Auckland.