South Africa v India 2018: India's Squad For South Africa Test Series Announced

Jasprit Bumrah earned his maiden Test call-up as the right-arm pacer has been included in the 17-member squad for the three-Test match series against South Africa. His addition will further bolster the pace attack. Though chances of him making it to the playing XI are bleak due to the presence of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Bumrah, who has 89 wickets in 26 first-class games, has replaced chinaman Kuldeep Yadav. Other than Kuldeep, Vijay Shankar is the other player to be dropped from the Test team.

Parthiv Patel, who last played for India against England in Chennai Test last year, has made his comeback to the side as a backup wicketkeeper. Patel made his Test comeback last year for the last three Test matches of the series against England in place of an injured Saha. He impressed with the bat scoring 195 runs in four innings at 65.00.

However, a comeback of Saha for the Bangladesh series meant that Patel was benched again. Team India has had a policy of taking a backup wicketkeeper for overseas tours and hence, Patel was called back for the ardent Test series that awaits Indian team.

He will only walk in playing XI if Saha is unfit for any Test match.

Hardik Pandya has made a comeback to the Test side as well. He was rested for the Test series against Sri Lanka after he asked for rest. He was already named in the ODI side to face Sri Lanka and has now returned to Test format as well.

There are no other changes in the side.

Virat Kohli, the captain, will be assisted by his deputy Ajinkya Rahane, who is going through a rough patch with the bat at the moment. Indian team is going on the tour with three openers viz Murali Vijay, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan. In short, the problem of choice will continue to test Virat Kohli there as well.

R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are two specialist spinners cum all-rounders in the squad, out of whom one is expected to be part of the playing XI during the Test series.

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The first Test match of the series will kick off on  January 5 at Newlands in Cape Town.  The second and the third Test will start on January 13 and 24 in Centurion and Johannesburg respectively.

Post the completion of the Test series, India will face the hosts in a total of six ODIs and three T20Is as well.

Before the start of the international fixtures, India will face an invitation side at Boland Park in Paarl to assimilate to the conditions in the country.

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The last time India visited the country for a Test series, the MS Dhoni-led side suffered a defeat in two-match series by a margin of 1-0.

Here is the India Test squad –

Virat Kohli (Capt), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

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