After recuperating from a foot fracture, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made his eagerly awaited comeback to international cricket on Wednesday as he joined India’s Test team for the forthcoming home two-Test series against South Africa.
Pant was unable to play in the two-match series against the West Indies after suffering the injury during the fourth Test match against England in Manchester in July.
In a recent four-day match in Bengaluru, the 26-year-old impact hitter led India A to victory over South Africa A by scoring 90 runs in the second innings of a 275-run chase. He took N Jagadeesan’s place in Shubman Gill’s 15-man squad.
After recuperating from a shoulder ailment, Bengal pacer Akash Deep was also called up to the Test fold. He recently returned to competitive cricket by representing Bengal in the Irani and Ranji Trophies.
Additionally, he is a member of the India A team that will play South Africa A in the second four-day match, which begins in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are part of India’s pace attack, while Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and veteran Ravindra Jadeja will once again be used in the spin department.
Despite demonstrating his fitness by playing three consecutive Ranji Trophy games for Bengal and taking 15 wickets at an average of 15.53, Mohammed Shami was not selected for the two-Test series.
On November 14, Kolkata will host the first Test, and on November 22, Guwahati will host the second.
India’s Test squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain, w/k), Yashasvi Jaiswal, K L Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep
The team for India A’s three-match one-day series against South Africa A in Rajkot has also been selected by the Selection Committee.
India A’s squad for one-day team: Tilak Varma (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Ishan Kishan (w/k), Prabhsimran Singh (w/k), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed
