Maiden Test call for Bumrah

There were few surprises when India named their Test squad for the tour to South Africa with paceman Jasprit Bumrah the only uncapped player in the group.

Bumrah has been in impressive form for India in limited overs cricket making a name for himself as a new ball and death bowler.

Allrounder Hardik Pandya returns to the squad after opting out of the series against Sri Lanka.

India have also added cover for wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha in the shape of wicketkeeper batsman Parthiv Patel.

The world number one ranked Test side have plenty of pace options thanks to the return of Pandya and the call up of Bumrah with Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar also in the 17-man squad.

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India have four players in their lineup who have recently opened the batting in Test cricket with Murali Vijay’s back-to-back hundreds securing him a place alongside regular openers Shikhar Dhawan and Lokesh Rahul while Parthiv can also perform the role.

The middle-order engine room is set to be dominated by skipper Virat Kohli and stalwarts Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane while Rohit Sharma is likely to serve as cover.

India will bring just two frontline spinners along with them but those two are Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin arguably the best tweakers in the world.

The first Test against South Africa is set to begin on January 5 in Cape Town.

India’s Test squad for South Africa: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, K. L. Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.

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