Rishabh Pant Returns as Vice-Captain for South Africa Tests; Full Squad Announced
Rishabh Pant returns as vice-captain for India’s Test series against South Africa; full 15-member squad announced by BCCI.
India have named their squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant making his much-awaited return to the national side as vice-captain.
Pant missed the previous Test series against the West Indies after suffering a fracture in his right foot during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy earlier this year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the 15-member squad on Wednesday. Shubman Gill will continue to lead the team, while Pant, after his successful comeback with India A, will serve as his deputy.
Pant showed strong form last week in the first unofficial Test against South Africa A in Bengaluru, where he led India A to victory with a brilliant 90 off 113 balls in the second innings. His return adds both stability and firepower to the Indian middle order ahead of the home series.
Fast bowler Akash Deep also returns after missing the West Indies Tests due to injury. However, senior pacer Mohammed Shami has not been included, despite performing well in the early rounds of the Ranji Trophy for Bengal.
The series will begin at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from November 14 to 18, followed by the second Test in Guwahati from November 22 to 26.
India Test Squad for South Africa 2025
Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain/wicketkeeper), 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.
