Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has returned home from South Africa due to personal reasons, missing the three-day intra-squad match and raising questions about his availability for the upcoming Test series. However, speculations are rife that Kohli is likely to rejoin the Test squad ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Centurion.
Key Absence in Intra-Squad Match
Kohli’s absence was notable during the three-day intra-squad match, a crucial red-ball outing for senior players such as captain Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. The Indian team is gearing up for a two-Test series against South Africa, and Kohli’s participation remains uncertain.
In another setback for the Indian team, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series due to a finger injury. This opens up an opportunity for Abhimanyu Easwaran, currently part of India A’s squad in South Africa, to potentially replace Gaikwad as the reserve opener.
With Gaikwad’s absence, the opening pair for India in the Test series is expected to feature Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal. This combination had previously worked well for India during the Caribbean tour in July-August, which was the team’s last Test assignment.
Abhimanyu Easwaran’s strong showing with an unbeaten 61 in the practice game positions him as a potential replacement for Gaikwad. Currently, part of India A’s squad, Easwaran is set to feature in the second four-day match against South Africa A before joining the national squad for the New Year’s Test in Cape Town.
Gaikwad’s Injury and Replacement
Gaikwad sustained a finger injury during the second ODI against South Africa, leading to his exclusion from the Test series. His expected return to the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for rehabilitation highlights the toll injuries can take during a series.
India’s Test squad has been undergoing preparation in Pretoria under the guidance of coach Rahul Dravid. The team is striving to acclimatize and fine-tune their strategies for the challenging Test series against South Africa.
KL Rahul, the stand-in ODI captain, and Mukesh Kumar are expected to join the Test squad after a brief rest following the ODI series. Their inclusion adds strength and experience to the Test lineup, providing versatility to the team.
Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, who were part of the ODI mix, are set to make a return to Test cricket after an extended hiatus. Both players last featured for India during the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia in February, bringing anticipation for their performance in the longer format.
