Rishabh Pant has officially returned to India’s Test fold, marking a major comeback after the injury he suffered in England in July this year.
The dynamic wicket-keeper-batter has been named vice-captain for India’s upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, beginning November 14 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, followed by the second Test at Guwahati from November 22.
Pant replaces N Jagadeesan, who featured in the squad during the West Indies series, while pacer Akash Deep comes in for Prasidh Krishna, marking the only other change in the senior lineup.
His inclusion not only strengthens India’s middle order and wicket-keeping depth but also reinforces leadership strength alongside captain Shubman Gill.
Pant Back in Action — Strong Comeback Through India A
Pant showcased his readiness by leading India A against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from October 30 to November 2.
The 28-year-old kept wickets for the full duration and followed a quiet first-innings score of 17 with an impressive 90 off 113 balls in the second, guiding India A to a three-wicket victory.
His return signals renewed balance and creativity in India’s red-ball batting unit and adds tactical sharpness behind the stumps.
Shami’s Omission Continues Despite Strong Domestic Show
Senior pacer Mohammed Shami continues to remain outside the Test setup despite declaring fitness.
The 35-year-old had expressed disappointment earlier after being overlooked vs West Indies, and since then delivered a vintage performance in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy win over Gujarat, taking eight wickets, including a match-defining five-wicket haul in the second innings.
His coach recently claimed Shami has regained the rhythm that once made him one of the world’s most feared fast bowlers — yet selectors have opted for continuity, retaining a pace attack led by Bumrah and Siraj.
Dhruv Jurel Likely to Step Aside
Despite Dhruv Jurel’s impressive showing against the West Indies, including a maiden Test ton,
Pant’s stature and match-winning ability across conditions make his return inevitable.
With two centuries earlier this year in England and averaging 64.44 in Tests in 2024, Pant resumes his place as India’s first-choice keeper-batter in red-ball cricket.
Bowling Unit & Selection Dynamics
Akash Deep, though selected, may remain on the bench unless India decides to rotate Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Siraj, especially given workload considerations ahead of a packed cricket calendar.
India will be keenly aware of South Africa’s challenge as defending World Test Champions — a much sterner test than the under-prepared West Indies side they recently swept at home.
This becomes India’s first tough home Test assignment since their surprise 3-0 loss to New Zealand last year — raising stakes for the squad to deliver a dominant home season statement.
India A Assignments — Tilak Varma to Lead ODI Squad
Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna moves to the India A squad for a three-match one-day series against South Africa A in Rajkot.
Young batting star Tilak Varma will captain the team, with Ruturaj Gaikwad as vice-captain.
The squad also features Ishan Kishan, world No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma, and a blend of rising talents like Riyan Parag and Vipraj Nigam.
For Prasidh, this series becomes an important opportunity to stay in contention for senior-team roles.
Full Squads
India Test Squad:
Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC/WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep
India A ODI Squad:
Tilak Varma (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Prabhsimran Singh (WK)
Pant’s return signals renewed aggression, stability, and flair for India ahead of a marquee home Test challenge — and fans will watch closely as the star keeper-batter seeks to reclaim his place as India’s most explosive red-ball match-winner.
#RishabhPant #IndvsSA #TeamIndia #TestCricket #CricketNews #PantReturns #ShubmanGill #MohammedShami #AkashDeep #DhruvJurel #IndiaASquad #TilakVarma #IshanKishan #SouthAfricaTour #BCCI #IndianCricket #WTC #EdenGardens #GuwahatiTest
