After fully recuperating from a foot fracture he suffered during the England tour, India’s wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant was named captain of the national A team on Tuesday for a red-ball series against South Africa A.
Pant was left out of the Asia Cup squad and, more recently, the two-Test home series against the West Indies after injuring his foot while batting in the fourth Test match in Manchester in July.
Despite being hit on his right toe by a delivery from Chris Woakes, he bravely stepped out to bat and scored a half-century, albeit in a lost cause.
He has been included in the India A squad by the selectors for both of the games, which will start on October 30 in Bengaluru. Prior to the two-match home Test series against South Africa that starts in Kolkata on November 14, the A series will provide Pant with much-needed game time.
The two four-day matches will also feature notable cricketers such as KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan (who has been named vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, and others. All six were a part of the squad for the Test series against the West Indies.
The second game of the short series will be played between November 6 and 9 and will include Prasidh, Siraj, Akash Deep, and Jurel. For the first game, N Jagdeesan will be the team’s second wicketkeeper.
The West Indies spinners tested Sudharsan’s technique, therefore he would like to do better at that area of the game. In the squad for the second match starting on November 6 are India’s usual players, including Rahul, Siraj, Krishna, and Jurel.
For the second unofficial Test, Akash Deep, who hasn’t participated in Test cricket since the England tour, is also available. It will be intriguing to watch how pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Gurnoor Brar perform among the domestic cricketers.
Temba Bavuma, the senior team captain, will be making a comeback after recovering from a calf injury to lead South Africa’s A squad, which will be captained by batter Marques Ackerman. Additionally, from November 13 to 19, South Africa A will play India A in three one-day matches at Rajkot.
Three ODIs and five T20 Internationals will follow the senior Test series, which runs from November 14 to November 26.
India A squad for the 1st four-day match: Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagdeesan (WK), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, Saransh Jain
India A squad for the 2nd four-day match: Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep
