Rishabh Pant set to miss Australia series, three-way race between Bharat, Upendra and Kishan
New Delhi(PTI): The extent of Rishabh Pant's ligament tear, after his horrific car accident, is yet to be ascertained but if BCCI sources are to be believed, he is set to miss the upcoming four-Test series against Australia.
Pant's absence from competitive cricket could be a prolonged one and it will be premature to even zero in on a date at this point in time, and hence, one of the biggest challenges for the new selection committee will be to select the two keeper-batters for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The Indian Test wicketkeeper's slot is now suddenly up for grabs and it could be an interesting three-horse race between Pant's current understudy Kona Bharat, India A's second keeper Upendra Yadav and white-ball specialist, Ishan Kishan, when the Test series starts in Nagpur from February 9.
The 25-year-old lost control of his Mercedes car while driving from Delhi to Rourkee on Friday morning and hit the divider near Mohammadpur Jat in Manglaur area. He was first rushed to a local medical facility but is now being treated at Max Dehradun for multiple injuries.
While X-Ray and CT scan reports have ruled out any fractural, brain or spinal injuries, the multiple ligament tear in his knee and ankle will certainly keep him out for an extensive period. It could be anything between two to six months depending upon the grade of the ligament tear.
"He has extensive swelling so MRI of ankle and knee is yet to be conducted. Once he is fit enough to travel, he will come to Mumbai where he will be under the board's empanelled doctor Dinshaw Pardiwala," a BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
The new selection committee will have effectively three choices. The two India A keepers Bharat and Upendra straightaway make it to the main squad or a dashing left-hander like Kishan could make the cut.
In the case of Sanju Samson and Kishan, both didn't keep in Ranji Trophy for Kerala and Jharkhand respectively.
Technically, Bharat being the second keeper of the Test side could make his debut in Nagpur but, as a package, Upendra is far better. He is a good keeper and a clean hitter with an average of 45 plus.
However, in the case of Pant, there is an X-factor which Bharat or Upendra, despite being good performers, don't possess.
Ishan or Sanju are better choices having already handled pressures of international cricket, but both will now regret handing over the big gloves to Kumar Kushagra and Ponnan Rahul, respectively.
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'Godman' Kharat held in 8th sexual exploitation case; court denies police remand, sends him to jail
Nashik (PTI): Police took custody of self-proclaimed godman-cum-astrologer Ashok Kharat in an eighth case related to sexual exploitation of women and produced him before a Nashik district court which sent him to jail till May 12 after rejecting the plea for his police remand on Thursday.
On April 29, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police in north Maharashtra filed a request application in the court demanding Kharat's custody in the eighth case.
After the court granted them the necessary permission, the SIT took custody of Kharat, who was in jail in connection with the seventh case of sexual exploitation registered against him.
The 'godman', named in a dozen FIRs related to rape and financial fraud, was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate B N Ichpurani in the eighth case through video conferencing due to security reasons.
The eighth case related to Kharat allegedly sexually exploiting a woman who had approached him in search of solutions to her family problems, according to police.
During the hearing, the prosecution demanded police custody of the accused in the latest case.
However, the defence strongly opposed the demand and argued that the SIT was giving same reasons for police custody every time and there was no strong reason for accepting their plea.
The court accepted the argument put forth by the defence and remanded Kharat to judicial custody till May 12 in the eighth case.
The SIT will produce Kharat in the court on Friday again and seek his police custody in the ninth case. As the self-styled godman has been granted judicial custody in the eighth case, he will be sent to Nashik Road Central Jail and the SIT will take his custody from there.
Meanwhile, Kharat's judicial custody in the fourth case ended on Thursday. On April 18, the accused was remanded to judicial custody till April 30 in the fourth case of sexual exploitation of women.
In a related development, the SIT conducted a search at Kharat's office in the 'Canada Corner' area of Nashik city on Wednesday. A 'panchnama' (record of search and seizure proceedings) was conducted and the office was locked and sealed again.
Kharat, a well-heeled man with political connections, was arrested for the first time on March 18 after a woman alleged he had repeatedly raped her for three years.
He is accused of sexually exploiting several women by claiming to have divine powers and knowledge of black magic, and also committing large-scale financial fraud.
The SIT is conducting a probe into 12 cases of sexual exploitation and financial fraud registered against the astrologer in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts.
