After a mixed bag Australian tour, the focus shifts on the two-match Test series where the Indian team take on South Africa, starting from November 14 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India are coming into this Test series after drubbing West Indies 2-0 in the longest format last month. South Africa are the defending world Test champions.

While most of the Indian playing XI is certainly set, the management will face a selection dilemma between Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel for the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot. While Pant is returning to the Indian side for the first time after his toe fracture during the England tour in July. Notably Pant has been appointed as the vice-captain of the series.

On the other hand, Jurel has been in tremendous form recently in the longest format. The Uttar Pradesh batter scored 125 against West Indies in the first Test before slamming twin centuries against South Africa A in the second unofficial Test recently. He scored 132 not and 127 not out.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra opined both Pant and Jurel should make the playing XI against South Africa in the first Test. “Both Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant are there in the squad. Rishabh Pant will play. He is the vice-captain. He is going to play, and he should play. But I feel Dhruv Jurel should also play,” Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

“A place should be created for him in the XI. The question will be whether you will compromise Sai Sudharsan from the top or Nitish Kumar Reddy from lower in the order,” added Chopra, who played 10 Tests for India.

Who’s likely to miss out?

Chopra urged captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir to sacrifice all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for Pant in the playing XI. “I think Sai Sudharsan should be allowed to play at No. 3. You haven’t got Nitish Kumar Reddy to do his job properly thus far.

“So you can actually sacrifice him and keep Dhruv Jurel there,” stated Chopra,” suggested Chopra. Reddy, who made his Test debut against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has been in an out of the team due to injuries. Against West Indies, Reddy got to bat in just one innings out of possible four, scoring 43 runs in the first Test.

India’s Test squad against South Africa

Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep