KS Bharat called as cover for injured Rishabh Pant

Rajkot, Jan 17: Team India have called up Andhra Pradesh wicket-keeper batsman K.S. Bharat as cover for injured Rishabh Pant for the remaining ODIs of the ongoing three-match series against Australia.

Pant was ruled out of the second ODI against Australia with concussion. Following the Mumbai ODI, which India lost by 10 wickets, BCCI had said that the left-hander will undergo concussion rehabilitation protocol at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

"He is ruled out of the 2nd ODI. His availability for the final ODI will be based on how he responds during the rehabilitation protocol," a BCCI statement had said.

Though the board initially had refrained from naming a replacement for Pant, but according to ESPNcricinfo, Bharat has been asked to rush to Rajkot as the cover.

The 22-year-old Pant was struck on the helmet by a Pat Cummins bouncer in the 44th over of India's innings in the first ODI on Tuesday following which KL Rahul had to do the glovework when India came out to field.