BCCI have announced the India A squad that will face South Africa A for two unofficial Tests starting October 30.
Rishabh Pant named captain
Rishabh Pant is set to lead India A in the two four-day matches against South Africa A. Pant has been out of action after the foot injury he sustained during the fourth Test against England earlier this year. This 'A' series will mark his return and potentially pave way for a comeback to the Test side.
It will also serve as preparation for both sides ahead of the two-match Test series between them, that begins on November 14, five days after the scheduled end of the second 'A' game.
Sai Sudharsan appointed vice-captain
The current India Test No.3, Sai Sudharsan will deputise Pant in the two unofficial Tests. Sudharsan has had a few question marks over his spot in the side after debuting in the England series. After a failure in the first match against West Indies, he made two crucial contributions of 87 and 39 in the second and will be looking to gain further confidence heading into the South Africa series with the help of these four-day matches.
Separate squads named for first and second games
The squad for the first match bears a comparatively inexperienced look, with young players in and around the fringes of the national setup getting a chance. This includes Ayush Mhatre, Tanush Kotian, Anshul Kamboj, Ayush Badoni, and more.
The squad for the second match has several Test regulars in the form of KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep.
IND A unofficial Test squad to face SA A
1st 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.
2nd 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.
Both matches will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence ground.
