Team India announce 15-man squad for South Africa Tests, Rishabh Pant Returns

The Indian senior men’s selection panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming home Test series against South Africa. One of the key inclusions in the squad is the return of wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant. The 28-year-old got his foot injured in the fourth Test earlier this year in England. The injury forced him to miss the following Test at the Oval and the two home Tests against West Indies. Besides Pant, Akashdeep has also returned to the squad, replacing Prasidh Krishna.

Rishabh Pant back as the vice-captain

On his return, the prolific wicket-keeper batter has been reinstated as the deputy of Indian Test skipper Shubman Gill. Pant was the vice-captain on the England tour as well, and on his return, he has got his role back. In the recently concluded home Test series against West Indies, Ravindra Jadeja was the deputy of Shubman Gill in Pant’s absence.

Pant had been sidelined since July after fracturing his foot while attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes in Manchester. Despite aggravating the injury by continuing to bat, Pant showed remarkable resilience during his rehabilitation and recently made his competitive comeback in a four-day match for India A against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Leading the India A side, Pant played a match-winning knock of 90 in the second innings of the 1st unofficial Test against South Africa A, guiding his team to a thrilling three-wicket win. He will continue to captain the India A squad in the second unofficial Test starting November 6, which features notable names like KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj.

Pant is expected to slot in at No.5 in the senior Test lineup, behind a top order comprising Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul, and Sudharsan. Dhruv Jurel, who kept wickets in Pant’s absence, remains the second-choice keeper. The squad also includes spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and medium-pacer Nitish Reddy, offering depth and versatility. Kuldeep Yadav will continue as the prime spinner in home conditions; meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, and Akashdeep will form the pace trio.

India Test Squad vs South Africa

Check out the complete squad:

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

Key Takeaways

• Rishabh Pant returns to the squad after nursing his foot injury. He is back as the vice-captain of the side.
• Pant’s return means Narayan Jagadeesan, who acted as the back-up keeper in the former’s absence, has lost his place in the squad.
• Prasidh Krishna has lost his place in the squad to Akashdeep. Krishan was part of the squad against West Indies, whereas Akashdeep missed that Test series.
• There were no internal discussions on senior pacer Mohammed Shami’s return. The senior pro had a terrific time in the Ranji Trophy, scalping 15 wickets in just two games at an average of 15.53 and a strike rate of 37.2. It seems like head coach Gautam Gambhir and selectors head Ajit Agarkar have decided to move on from Shami.
• Dhruv Jurel, who scored a ton in the Test series against West Indies, is expected to pip Devdutt Padikkal to bat at no 6.
• At home conditions, the management has opted for as many as 4 spin bowling options: Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel.
• Besides Kuldeep, the other three are spin bowling all-rounders.
• Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akashdeep are the pace bowling options in the squad.
• Nitish Kumar Reddy is the only seam bowling all-rounder in the squad.
• There are no changes from the West Indies series in the batting unit. The management has gone with the usual suspects in KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, and two wicket-keepers, Rishab Pant & Dhruv Jurel.

IND vs SA 2025 Test Series Schedule

Team India will be hosting the reigning World Test Champions, South Africa, in a 2-match Test series starting from November 14 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The second Test match of the series will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati from November 22.