The first Test of the two-match series between India and South Africa will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from November 14 to 18. For the second home series of the ongoing 2025-27 World Test Championship
(WTC) cycle, Rishabh Pant is back in India’s squad along with Bengal pacer Akash Deep. Both of them missed the two-match series against the West Indies last month due to injury-related issues. But they are now fully fit and have also proved their fitness in the recently concluded second unofficial Test between India A and South Africa A in Bengaluru.
Pant, who suffered an injury scare while batting during the second innings on Saturday (November 8), is all set to return to India’s playing XI for the first Test as a specialist wicketkeeper-batter, but it will be interesting to see if Akash Deep gets a chance to play a red-ball match at Eden Gardens.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are ahead of him in the pecking order, and if Indian team management decide to go with only two pacers, then he is unlikely to get a chance.
The Indian team management could make way for him by dropping Nitish Kumar Reddy to the bench. Nitish played both the Tests for India against the West Indies in October, but he wasn’t used much as a bowler by Shubman Gill and only got a chance to bat once.
In the West Indies series, Dhruv Jurel was India’s specialist wicketkeeper, and the Agra-based cricketer impressed with his performance with the bat as well by scoring a century in the series opener played at Narendra Modi Stadium.
After Pant was included in India’s squad for the South Africa series on November 5, there were question marks over Jurel’s place in the XI, but he made a case for selection in the XI by slamming unbeaten centuries in both the innings of the second unofficial India A-South Africa A Test last week.
Several former greats of the game and experts have batted for his inclusion in the side due to his red-hot form, and it will be interesting to see if he gets an opportunity or not. And if he gets a game, then who makes way for Pant in the XI?
While the obvious player who could be moved out to accommodate Jurel as of now is Nitish, there’s also a possibility that he might come in for B Sai Sudharsan. The left-handed batter from Tamil Nadu played three Tests as a No. 3 batter against England and two against the West Indies but wasn’t able to do much.
The Indian team management is expected to continue with the spin attack of Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, whereas KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the innings once again with Captain Gill at No. 4.
India’s likely playing XI for 1st Test against South Africa: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
