New Delhi: Rishabh Pant is set to make his competitive cricket comeback as captain of India A, leading the team against South Africa A in a four-day match on October 30 at BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
BCCI announced the India A squad on Tuesday.
Pant, recovering from a fractured foot sustained during the Manchester Test earlier this year, will be joined by vice-captain Sai Sudharsan.
Pant would return to action in Delhi's Ranji Trophy second-round match, from October 25, at home against Himachal Pradesh. That could change now, with the first India A vs South Africa A game set to start just two days after the scheduled last day of the Ranji Trophy game.
While attempting to play an audacious stroke to a yorker delivered by English pacer Chris Woakes, Pant got struck on his foot and returned to bat in the first innings once again when India needed some runs on the board to pose a challenge to English side, with series being led by them by a 2-1 margin. Pant made a valuable half-century, helping India draw the fourth Test and keep the series alive. India won the final Test by six runs at The Oval to secure a remarkable, well-fought draw.
KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and Dhruv Jurel will join the squad after the conclusion of three match ODI series against Australia in the second match. N Jagadeesan is the second wicketkeeper choice in the squad, while Rajat Patidar as also been added in the squad after his double century in first match of ongoing Ranji Trophy against Punjab.
While Ruturaj Gaikwad, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep will also join the squad in the second match.
India's batting line-up includes Ayush Mhatre, Devdutt Padikkal, and Ayush Badoni. The squad also included three all rounders Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, and Manav Suthar. Anshul Kamboj, and Yash Thakur will lead the pace attack in the first match while Saransh Jain will lead the spin department. India squad for first four-day match: Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagadeesan (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, Saransh Jain.
India squad for second four-day match: Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
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