India Test squad for South Africa series announced; Rishabh Pant returns

Published - 05 Nov 2025, 05:53 PM | Updated - 05 Nov 2025, 06:34 PM

India Test squad for South Africa series announced; Rishabh Pant returns Sai Sudharsan Rishabh Pant Shubman Gill Yashasvi Jaiswal 1

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On Wednesday, November 5, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad of the India National Cricket Team for the upcoming Test series against the South Africa National Cricket Team.

The India National Cricket Team and the South Africa National Cricket Team will lock horns with each other in a two-match Test series that will hold a big importance for both teams as they aim to continue their good performance in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27.

Rishabh Pant returns to the India Test squad

On Wednesday, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee met to pick the squad for the home Test series. The major change in the squad from the previous Test series that India played against West Indies at home is the inclusion of Rishabh Pant.

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Rishabh Pant, the superstar wicketkeeper-batsman and the Test vice-captain, missed out on selection in the two-match Test series against the Roston Chase-led side because he was down with an injury.

Pant had fractured his toe after suffering a nasty blow from the delivery bowled by the English pacer Chris Woakes during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 in England.

As he was sidelined, India gave the opportunity to Dhruv Jurel to feature in the playing XI against the West Indies, and the youngster did an exceptional job with the bat as well as the gloves. However, now with Pant's return, he is likely to warm the bench against South Africa.

Meanwhile, Pant has replaced N Jagadeesan in the squad as the latter was serving as the backup keeper. Rishabh Pant actually made his comeback to action in the first four-day game against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru recently, where he scored 90 in the second innings as India A chased down 275.

Mohammed Shami snubbed, Prasidh Krishna dropped

Another major change in the India Test squad is the snub of the fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, who was with the Indian team in the previous home Test series against West Indies. He has been replaced by the Bengal pacer Akash Deep.

Also, the veteran pacer Mohammed Shami has once again faced a snub after his war of words with the chief selector Ajit Agarkar. The right-arm quick set the Ranji Trophy on fire with 15 wickets in three games, but the selection committee has ignored him for the South Africa Tests.

This all but confirms that Shami's Test career is finished, and the selectors and team management are looking at the fresh pace-bowling options like Akash Deep and others.