Abhishek Nayar has unveiled his India XI for the first Test against South Africa, with notable omissions and bold picks.
Former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar has announced his preferred Indian XI for the opening Test of the two-match series against South Africa, beginning at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on November 14. His selection notably excludes Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar, with Nayar emphasizing that the conditions are expected to favor seamers and pose challenges for batting.
India’s squad includes Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel as the two frontline spinners, but Abhishek explained his reasoning for leaving out Kuldeep. Speaking on Star Sports’ show Game Plan, he was asked about his lineup and whether he would continue backing Sai Sudharsan at No. 3. Nayar responded that consistency was important, highlighting Sudharsan’s persistence in the role.
He also praised wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who has impressed with a century against the West Indies and two consecutive hundreds for India A against South Africa A. Nayar suggested Jurel should be positioned where he can succeed, slotting him at No. 7 in the batting order. “Ravindra Jadeja at No. 6. For me, No. 7 in these conditions, I would look for a Dhruv Jurel because he is in that sort of form. Unfortunately, everyone is going to be like damn, a Kuldeep may have to miss out in this setup for me,” Nayar explained.
Nayar Explains Why Extra Batting Depth and Seam Support Outweigh Spin at Eden Gardens
Abhishek Nayar further argued that Nitish Kumar Reddy would be more valuable than Kuldeep in seamer-friendly conditions at Eden Gardens. “In these conditions, considering how challenging it is going to be for the batters, I would want that extra surety with a batter and a seamer. So Nitish Reddy comes in and then you have my three seamers in that team. That’s the kind of setup I would go for,” he said.
His chosen XI features Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.
Looking ahead to the series outcome, Nayar predicted India would secure a 1-0 victory. He cited daylight issues in the northeast during winter as a factor, suggesting one match could end in a draw. “I would go 1-0 to India, only because of the daylight problem. Shorter days, they are going to the northeast, and it’s winter. I feel South Africa have a good team. I will give one a draw. Guwahati – draw, Eden Gardens – India will win,” he said.