India’s playing 11 (Photo: PTI)
India vs South Africa, Playing 11: The first Test between India and South Africa is being played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The toss of this test match has taken place. South Africa won the toss and decided to bat first. After the toss, both the teams have announced their respective playing eleven. Rishabh Pant has returned to the Indian team after injury. The surprising thing is that Shubman Gill has played 4 spinners in the team.
4 spinners in Team India, Sai Sudarshan out
The four spinners who have got a place in the Indian team are Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. Due to this decision of the Indian team management, Sai Sudarshan had to be left out of the playing eleven. In his place, Washington Sundar will bat at number 3.
Rishabh Pant returns, Jurel’s place also retained
Rishabh Pant has returned to the team after injury. He suffered an injury during the England tour, after which he was out of the team. Dhruv Jurel has also got the reward for scoring back to back centuries against South Africa A. His place in the playing eleven is also safe. She has not gone since Pant’s return. Pant will be the wicketkeeper of the team. Whereas Jurel is playing as a batsman.
South Africa without Rabada
Talking about the South African team, it had to take the field without Kagiso Rabada. Rabada had to be out of this test due to injury.
This is the playing 11 of India-South Africa
India- Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
South Africa- Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickleton, Wiaan Mulder, Tony DeGeorge, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Simon Harmer, Marco Janson, Keshav Maharaj, Corbin Bosch
Test record of India and South Africa
India and South Africa will play a Test match at Eden Gardens after 15 years. Since the first Test was played in 1996 till 2010, 3 Tests between India and South Africa were held at Eden Gardens, in which India had the upper hand by 2-1.
This will be the 20th Test between these two teams to be held on Indian soil. Of the 19 Tests played before, India has won 11, while South Africa has won 5. The same 3 tests have been drawn.