Jasprit Bumrah, Parthiv Patel picked in 17-member Test squad for South Africa series
BCCI
Jasprit Bumrah, for the first time in his career, has received a Test-call for the South Africa series. While Parthiv Patel has been selected as the backup wicket-keeper, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has returned to the squad for the three-match Test series which begins on January 5.
India, who are on the verge of equalling Australia’s record of 9 Test series win in a row, will next visit South Africa for a three-match Test series where they will hope to break the record.
Hardik Pandya, who was rested for the Test series against Sri Lanka, has returned to the squad for the Tour of South Africa. The MSK Prasad-led selection committee picked a 17-member squad for the South Africa tour in which they have included seven batsmen, two wicket-keepers, along with an all-rounder in the form of Pandya.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will handle the spin attack as Kuldeep Yadav failed to book a place in the squad. Along with Kuldeep, Vijay Shankar, who was part of the squad for the second and third test against Sri Lanka has also been excluded. Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Bumrah will take up the responsibility of Indian pace attack.
Bumrah has been phenomenal in the limited overs format for India and was supposed to get his maiden call-up for the Sri Lankan Test series, but as luck would have it he will get a chance to wear the national whites on the Protean soil. Bumrah’s ability to operate with both old and new ball would come in handy for the Virat Kohli-led side in the in the seamer-friendly conditions of South Africa.
The first Test will start on January 5 in Cape Town, the second Test will be played in Centurion on January 13, and the final Test match of the series will be played in Johannesburg on January 24.
India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel, Jasprit Bumrah.
#TeamIndia for three- match Test series against South Africa announced
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 4, 2017
Virat (Capt), Vijay, Rahul, Shikhar, Pujara, Rahane (vc), Rohit, Saha (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Parthiv, Hardik, Bhuvneshwar, Shami, Ishant, Umesh, Bumrah. #SAvIND
