India’s senior national selection committee has recalled wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to the Test fold after a brief injury layoff, as the BCCI announced the squad for the two-match series against South Africa, starting November 14 in Kolkata.
Pant, who also resumes duties as vice-captain, missed the West Indies series due to a foot fracture sustained during the England tour in July. The 28-year-old proved his fitness and form by leading India A to victory against South Africa A in Bengaluru, where he struck a fluent 90 in the second innings to seal a thrilling chase.
Pant replaces N Jagadeesan, while Akash Deep returns to the Test squad in place of Prasidh Krishna.
Akash Deep Earns Recall After Injury Comeback
Speedster Akash Deep, who recovered from a back injury that kept him out of the Duleep Trophy, finds his way back into the national side. He recently featured for Rest of India in the Irani Cup and impressed for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, taking four wickets in recent outings.
Guwahati To Host First-Ever Test
The second and final Test of the series will be played at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium from November 22, marking the venue’s debut as a Test ground. The selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, finalised the squads in an online meeting on Wednesday.
India currently sit third on the World Test Championship table with a 61.90% points percentage, while South Africa are fifth with 50%, following a drawn series in Pakistan.
India A Squad Announced For 50-Over Series
The BCCI also named the India A side for a three-match one-day series against South Africa A, to be played at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium on November 13, 16, and 19.
Tilak Varma will lead the team, with Ruturaj Gaikwad as his deputy. The squad features several capped players including Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Ishan Kishan, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Khaleel Ahmed.
Squads: India: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep
India A squad: Tilak Varma (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Prabhsimran Singh (WK).
