India squad for South Africa Test series announced
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian Test squad for the South Africa tour, set to start on the 5th of January next year. Jasprit Bumrah received his maiden Test call-up while Parthiv Patel makes a comeback.
The Men in Blue will play three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is on their tour to the African nation.
While Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Murali Vijay have been included for the two opening slots, the middle order will have the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. Wriddhiman Saha will travel as the first-choice wicketkeeper with Parthiv as back-up.
Hardik Pandya is the only fast-bowling all-rounder India are taking with them, while Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will lead the spin-department. Bhuvenshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav form the Indian pace battery.
Full Squad: Virat Kohli (Capt), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.
The first of the three Tests will be played in Cape Town, starting 5th January, while Centurion and Johannesburg will host the next two Tests, starting 13th and 24th January respectively. The six-match ODI series commences on 1st February and the three-match T20I series on 18th of the same month.
The Indian team is currently fresh off a win in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur, where skipper Virat Kohli led the charge with a double hundred. Ravichandran Ashwin, as well, hogged the limelight by becoming the fastest bowler to 300 wickets in Tests.
India are currently playing the third Test against SL at Ferozshah Kotla in Delhi. Following that they will play a three-match ODI and T20I series against them, the Indian squad for which has also been announced.