(Image Source: BCCI)
[Saba Sports News] Wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat has been appointed as the captain of India A for two four-day matches against South Africa A, coinciding with the India senior men’s team’s tour in South Africa.
In the first four-day game, scheduled before the Boxing Day Test in Centurion, Mumbai batsman Sarfaraz Khan, who has had a notable domestic season, is included in the team. Bharat’s last appearance for India was in the World Test Championship final. In the Test squad against South Africa, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan are the designated wicketkeepers.
Players like Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran (subject to fitness), Dhruv Jurel, Manav Suthar, and Vidhwath Kaverappa, alongside captain Bharat, will feature in both four-day games.
The first A game’s squad includes Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, and Tushar Deshpande. The second game, leading to the New Year’s Test in Cape Town, will offer opportunities to Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and Navdeep Saini.
The first four-day match squad: Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran*, Devdutt Padikkal, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Sarfaraz Khan, KS Bharat (C)(wk), Dhruv Jurel, Shardul Thakur, Pulkit Narang, Sourabh Kumar, Manav Suthar, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Tushar Deshpande.
Second four-day match squad: Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran*, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, KS Bharat (C)(wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Akash Deep, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Navdeep Saini.
Additionally, a 26-player roster has been announced for a three-day inter-squad game, featuring prominent players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah.