The humble gamble taken by KS Bharat

Cricket in south London looks to be thriving. At all levels. Just under 15,000 punters took in Surrey's recent County Championship victory over Yorkshire, a club record this century. Move down to the grassroots, and some clubs are turning players away such is the demand for recreational cricket.

One man who has found a spot is an Indian Test wicketkeeper. Not a retired one. Nor a youngster looking for much-needed game time to develop.

Dulwich is one of London's more desirable suburbs, 10 minutes from Herne Hill's trendy markets and coffee shops. Turn right on Burbage Road, follow the railway arches to the end of the alley which splits a pair of cricket clubs. For all the middle class affluence, this trip to take in a midweek T20 didn't end up at The Oval. Or Lord's. Or even an out-ground such as Beckenham. The leisurely jaunt concluded at Dulwich Cricket Club, the summer home of Indian wicketkeeper KS Bharat.

Their cup match against Sinjun Grammarians was played on the far end of the Dulwich square. The resulting 40-yard boundary on one side led to inevitable delays as ball after ball was launched into the bushes. The game was never going to finish before the London dusk took hold.

While this was first team cricket, some batters still sported caps, not helmets. One tail-ender tried both, his backwards hat sticking out underneath a duck-billed helmet made trendy by Kumar Sangakkara.

Welcome to club cricket, KS.

Except Dulwich's Test recruit wasn't actually playing. That the BCCI prevents its players from taking their wares to foreign franchise leagues is well known. What is more vague is whether that diktat extends to amateur T20 competitions. Not a lot of players with India aspirations have tested these club waters. Better not take a risk. Wait for the 50-over games. Dulwich still won without him in a last-ball thriller, though their reserve wicketkeeper did miss a runout chance.

None of which explains what a man with seven Test caps - not to mention a desire for more - is doing playing amateur cricket. When news of Bharat's signing was announced, one player from a rival club's 3rd XI joked that he was only three stag dos and a dodgy hamstring away from offering Bharat some of the worst bowling he's ever seen. Hyperbole? Yes. Completely untrue? Not quite.

Bharat last played for his country in January 2024, keeping wicket in a pair of Tests against England. In the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant, Bharat donned the gloves in the 2023 World Test Championship final.

Aged 31, he is not exactly young. Over the hill doesn't classify him either. Here is a player positioned firmly in his peak years, boasting a useful first-class average of 36 in 105 matches. He had a decent Ranji Trophy campaign, scoring 502 runs at an average of 39 for Andhra. Captaining his state in the Vijay Hazare trophy, Bharat scored 335 runs at an average of 67, an unbeaten century in December helping boost those numbers.

Despite the success, no IPL team raised their paddle at this year's auction. Given both India and India A tour the UK this summer, county cricket was the logical next choice. But overseas wicketkeepers are rare in the Championship. Fast bowlers who can also launch the ball over the ropes are instead the flavour of the month.

"He was free, at a loose end, looking to play a good standard of club cricket in England as the next best option," explains Alex Gledhill, Dulwich's chairman of cricket. "I'm sure he's here with one eye on injuries in the Indian Test squad, which is perfectly understandable. He just wants to play a good standard of cricket and be in London. The stars aligned and we're delighted to have him."

In his first game for Dulwich, Bharat scored 63 off 39 balls in a friendly. He was annoyed not to reach three figures. During his first competitive game - Dulwich have just been promoted back up to the Premier League, the top flight of Surrey cricket - he notched 134 off 108. He was annoyed not to hit 200.

"He got 134 in a six-run victory against one of the stronger sides in the division," says Gledhill. "He's won us the match there. I think he'll do very well, without wanting to put undue pressure on him or tempt fate. He'll still be up against good bowlers and good cricketers but I think he'll do very well."

Dulwich are keen to stress that they won't be a "one-man band" this season; they do have Bharat for the whole summer, provided India or a county don't lose a gloveman to injury. Other players in the Dulwich first XI have first-class experience. Rival clubs have brought in pros with first-class and List A pedigree. No one with seven Test caps, though.

Yet Bharat wasn't even Dulwich's first choice. Their most recent pro, Apoorv Wankhade, wanted to come back. But he hadn't played enough first-class cricket in the last three years to qualify for his latest visa. Recent List A games for Vidarbha were no good to him. First XI captain Ollie Steele had to ring up CricX, an agency which places overseas pros with clubs, looking for a replacement. Needless to say Bharat played enough first-class games to get a visa.

Anyone who has played club cricket knows that when a rival club signs a high-profile overseas, thoughts filled with equal measures of jealousy and suspicion turn to the coffers. When Bharat's move was announced on social media, one of the first comments referenced money floating about the Surrey league. Dulwich refused to disclose the exact amount they're paying Bharat as a player/coach, but they insist they are compliant with UK tax law. No more than GBP 10,000 can be spent by an amateur club on players.

Coaching is a necessary part of the gig. As far as Indian internationals go, Bharat is playing on the cheap, but Dulwich still want their money's worth. "He's had a great impact," says Steele, the First XI captain. "At nets last week he was there an hour and a half early training one of the young lads who's playing in SACA, the South Asian Cricket Academy.

"He's had a big impact in the field, thinking tactically about setting fields, especially in the white-ball games where it can be a bit frantic. He's captained his state at home so he's pretty experienced on the tactical side.

"It's useful to have his input, but he doesn't force me to change the field. Most of the time I obviously do take his advice because he does know better than me!"

In a way, as a Test hopeful without an IPL contract, operating in a position which tends not to interest English counties, finding a way to be in the same country as the side he's trying to break into makes perfect sense. These appear a unique set of circumstances which seem unlikely to be repeated. Or, as the ever-increasing churn of Indian talent forces some international talent out of the IPL, might we see more players head to suburban London if counties don't pick up the phone?

Cutting through the mystique of a Test player operating in club cricket leaves a perception of someone who respects the game. The level may be too low for Bharat's talents - though a debut match-winning century has been followed by some low scores - but he realises he's not in a position to turn his nose up. May as well keep hitting balls every day. There are aspirations of hitting a double hundred this summer.

Dulwich have already seen a return on investment. "In his own right he's going to put in match-winning performances," says Gledhill. "He already has done. He's going to have to raise the bar generally."

As for Bharat, we have to wait and see if his humble gamble pays off. There is some historical precedent. Sort of. In 1991, Nayan Mongia spent a season at Dulwich. That club stint came at the start of a 44-Test career for India.

Bharat has altered that timeline, looking for a club boost midway through his time at the top. India has plenty of good, younger wicketkeepers in front of him in their depth chart. Bharat is doing what he can to change that, even if that means dropping down a level or two.