India are all set to return to Test cricket as they take on South Africa in a two-match Test Series, with the first match beginnng from November 14 (Friday) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
India need to win this series to further solidify their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2027. India need to field a strong playing XI if they want to win against the current Test world champions. It looks like India are looking to reward Dhruv Jurel after his terrfic performances for India A against South Africa A.
According to a report by PTI, Dhruv Juel is set to feature in the India playing XI for th first Test against South Africa as a specialist batter. He will come into the side in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy, and will take the no.6 spot. He was also considered to be playing at no.3, but the team management went ahead with Sai Sudharsan. Nitish Kumar Reddy is being dropped because his bowling would not be required in Indian conditions.
“Jurel is likely to play as a specialist batter. Ideally, there are two slots where he could be fitted in. One was Sai Sudharsan at No. 3, but he has a half-century in his last Test and the team management wants a settled No. 3,” a BCCI source told the publication.
“The other place is Nitish Kumar Reddy and he cannot be played ahead of Jurel, considering that his bowling would not be required much in these Indian conditions,” the source added.
Since the start of the home season, Jurel has recorded scores of 140, 1 and 56, 125, 44 and 6, and 132 and 127*. With three centuries, including a Test hundred, along with a fifty and another 40-plus score in his last eight first-class innings, his form has been impossible to ignore.
India Likely Playing XI For 1st Test Vs South Africa
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah