After a mixed Australian tour, the focus now shifts to the two-match Test series, where India take on South Africa, starting 14 November at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India are coming into this Test series after drubbing West Indies 2-0 in the longest format last month. South Africa are the defending World Test champions.
Most of India’s playing XI is settled, but the management faces a selection dilemma between Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel for the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot. Pant returns to the side for the first time since fracturing his toe during the England tour in July. Notably, the selectors have appointed Rishabh Pant as the vice-captain of the series.
On the other hand, Dhruv Jurel has been in tremendous form recently in the longest format. The Uttar Pradesh batter scored 125 against the West Indies in the first Test before slamming twin centuries against South Africa A in the second unofficial Test recently. He scored 132 not out and 127 not out.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra opined that both Pant and Jurel should make the playing XI against South Africa in the first Test.
“Both Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant are there in the squad. Rishabh Pant will play. He is the vice-captain. He is going to play, and he should play. But I feel Dhruv Jurel should also play,” Aakash Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“A place should be created for him in the XI. The question will be whether you will compromise Sai Sudharsan from the top or Nitish Kumar Reddy from lower in the order,” added Chopra, who has played 10 Tests for India.
Who’s likely to miss out?
Aakash Chopra urged captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir to sacrifice all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for Pant in the playing XI.
“I think Sai Sudharsan should be allowed to play at No 3. You haven’t got Nitish Kumar Reddy to do his job properly thus far.
“So you can actually sacrifice him and keep Dhruv Jurel there,” suggested Chopra. Reddy, who made his Test debut against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has been in and out of the team due to injuries. Against the West Indies, Nitish Kumar Reddy got to bat in just one innings out of the four possible, scoring 43 runs in the first Test.
India’s Test squad against South Africa
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
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