‘Sunny’ picks squad for first Test, includes Ashwin-Jadeja on fast bowling pitch

New Delhi. The two-match Test series between India and South Africa will begin on December 26. The first Test will be on a wicket suited to Centurion’s fast bowling. The Indian team is yet to win a single Test series against South Africa at home, so the Rohit Sharma brigade would surely love to gift its fans a series win. Veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Mohammed Shami have not been included in the Indian Test squad for this series. Pujara and Rahane have not been named in the squad, while Shami is out due to injury.

In Shami’s absence, India will have the problem of choosing the ideal fast bowling combination. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj are certain to be selected in the playing XI, but there is competition between Mukesh Kumar and the popular Krishna for the third spot.

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Legendary opener and commentator Sunil Gavaskar has chosen his preferred Indian playing XI ahead of the Centurion Test in which he has preferred Mukesh Kumar over the popular Krishna as the third fast bowler. Not only that, even though the wicket is helpful for fast bowling, ‘Sunny’ has retained both experienced spin bowlers Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the 11 players.

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Talking to Star Sports, Gavaskar has given the responsibility of wicketkeeper to KL Rahul. He has named Rohit Sharma and Yashshwi Jaiswal as his choices to open the innings while Shubman Gill has been kept at number three. He said, ‘My playing XI is very simple. Rohit and Yashaswi will be the openers while Gill will bat at number three and Virat at number four. My picks are KL Rahul at number five and Shreyas Iyer at number six. Ravindra Jadeja will be at number seven and R Ashwin at number eight. Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj will be the three fast bowlers in the team.

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Sunil Gavaskar’s Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Yashshwi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj.

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Tags: India vs South Africa, Mukesh Kumar, R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja