Andhra Pradesh CM greets Bharat on test debut

AMARAVATI [AP]: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday congratulated Kona Srikar Bharat for making his test cricket debut.

The wicketkeeper batsman made his debut against Australia at the first test match which began Thursday at Nagpur.

"Our very own Kona Bharat is debuting today with the Indian cricket team in the ongoing test against Australia. My congratulations and best wishes to him," reads a tweet from the official handle of the chief minister."The Telugu flag continues to fly high," it added with the hashtag Telugu pride.

The chief minister posted the picture of Bharat embracing his mother after making the debut.

Former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also wished Bharat on making the debut. "Happy to learn that our very own Kona Bharat will make his debut in the first cricket test against Australia today. I wish him all the very best and look forward to seeing him make our country proud," wrote Naidu.

Bharat, who hails from Visakhapatnam, was picked ahead of Ishan Kishan for the first test of the four-match Border Gavaskar series. The 29-year-old was handed a test cap by senior batter Cheteshwar Pujara at the Indian team huddle ahead of the toss at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

Bharat achieved the first big success on debut when he stumped Marnus Labuschagne off to Jadeja to give India a huge breakthrough when the batter was looking settled to steer the visitors after losing early wickets.