Naseer Hussain Calls India Keeper KS Bharat ‘Brave Man’

During the first day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, Australia consolidated their position with a strong score of 327/3 at the stumps. The Indian bowlers faced a challenging and tactical battle throughout the day. A formidable partnership between Travis Head and Steve Smith, amassing an unbeaten 251 runs, propelled Australia to a strong position. However, a notable moment that captured the spectators' attention was when KS Bharat, a junior teammate of Virat Kohli, successfully convinced him to reconsider a leg before the wicket call and advised against taking a DRS review.

This has garnered Bharat immense respect and admiration from cricket veterans like Naseer Hussain. It challenges the common notion that rookies seldom possess the standing to question the decisions or actions of seasoned players on the field. Nevertheless, Bharat — who made his Test debut versus Australia in February 2023 — displayed remarkable courage by daring to call out Kohli and persuading him against pursuing a Decision Review System (DRS).

What Happened

Steve Smith attempted a pull a delivery from Mohammed Shami but failed to make contact. Bharat, with a well-timed jump, caught the ball. As the ball whizzed past the bat, there seemed to be a sound, sparking excitement among Indian fielders, especially Virat Kohli. Bharat, however, persuaded Kohli not to opt for a DRS

Naseer Hussain Calls KS Bharat A Brave Man

Naseer Hussain, commentating on the incident, praised the action and shared his observation. From the commentary box, he remarked, "He was very tough with Virat Kohli. Not easy to overrule Kohli but that's exactly what he did. Kohli wanted to review that but Bharat, playing in his 5th Test match, had to run to King Kohli and say 'Nope, you got that wrong' Brave man, but right”

Former Indian team coach Ravi Shastri, too, gave his two cents on this situation, highlighting how many people do not have the courage to convince against Kohli’s decision. He said, “He jolly well be a senior,” when asked by Justin Langer on players being able to resist Kohli’s dominance in the team. Shastri further added, “Yes, these batsmen and the competition. If it was anybody else, he would have been half as expressive. In fact, Pujara of all people had to say ‘Virat, calm down. Calm down’.”