If a keeper bats 11 but takes 90% of the dismissals that come their way, would that justify their selection? How many runs is that worth? Why does a keeper have to bat 7 and average 35 when a bowler doesn't need to?

Interesting question Jim.

I’ve always believed a team should always look to select the best wicket keeper. If the keepers vying for selection are similar in skills, temperament and being a leader in the field, pick the keeper who bats the best.

A keeper who takes 90% of the opportunities presented is not only worth a lot of runs but they'll deliver tremendous confidence to the team in the field.

If the best keeper is along way in front of the others but struggles with the bat, there’s no reason they can’t bat lower in the order. It does mean though the team will need one or two of their bowlers to be scoring good and consistent runs batting 7 and 8.

Cheers.