Pant’s comeback story: Leading India A ahead of South Africa tests

India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has been named captain of the India A side for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A, following his full recovery from a foot fracture sustained during the England tour.

Pant had injured his right toe while batting in the fourth Test at Manchester in July after being struck by a delivery from England pacer Chris Woakes. Despite the injury, he displayed remarkable resilience, scoring a half-century, though India ultimately lost the match. The injury had ruled him out of the Asia Cup and the two-Test home series against the West Indies.

The India A series, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru from October 30, will provide Pant with valuable match practice ahead of the two-match senior Test series against South Africa, beginning on November 14 in Kolkata. Pant will lead the team in both four-day games, with Sai Sudharsan appointed as vice-captain.

The squads feature a blend of experienced India internationals and promising domestic performers. Notable names for the first match include Pant (captain and wicketkeeper), N Jagdeesan (wicketkeeper), Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Mhatre, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, and Saransh Jain.

The second match, scheduled from November 6 to 9, will see a slightly revised lineup featuring KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep alongside Pant, Sudharsan, and Padikkal. Among them, Akash Deep, who has not played Test cricket since the England tour, and domestic pacers Gurnoor Brar and Khaleel Ahmed will be closely monitored for their performance.

Several regular India players, including Rahul, Siraj, Krishna, and Jurel, are expected to benefit from this exposure before the senior Test series against South Africa. Sudharsan, whose technique was tested against the West Indies spinners, will also be looking to refine his game further.

South Africa A, led by batter Marques Ackerman, will feature senior national captain Temba Bavuma, returning after recovering from a calf injury. In addition to the four-day games, South Africa A will play three one-day matches against India A in Rajkot from November 13 to 19.

The senior India-South Africa tour will commence with a two-Test series from November 14 to 26, followed by three ODIs and five T20 Internationals, providing a comprehensive schedule for both teams and an opportunity for India A players to transition smoothly into senior international cricket.