India Playing XI for 1st Test vs South Africa: Ravi Ashwin set to make comeback in Visakhapatnam Test

India Playing XI for 1st Test vs South Africa: The Sports Rush present before you India’s Playing XI for the first Test against South Africa.

India have announced their playing XI for the first Test against South Africa slated to be played from tomorrow at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

India have made as many as three changes from the last Test that they played against West Indies at the Sabina Park in Jamaica. While opening batsman Rohit Sharma and wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha have come in as a like-for-like replacement for Lokesh Rahul and Rishabh Pant, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has replaced injured fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

Given the build-up to a drastic transformation with respect to Sharma, him replacing Rahul was on the cards from the time when the 15-member squad was announced.

“We are in no hurry with Rohit Sharma as opener. He will be given time and space to find his rhythm and the way he wants to play at the top,” India captain Virat Kohli was quoted as saying to the reporters during the press conference in Visakhapatnam.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who last played a Test during the tour of Australia last year, has been included in the squad alongside Ravindra Jadeja. With India also playing Hanuma Vihari as the sixth batsman, they only have a couple of fast bowlers in Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.

The presence of Ashwin and Jadeja in the tail has given the team management the freedom to play a better wicket-keeper in Saha. Batsman Shubman Gill, wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant, chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav and fast bowler Umesh Yadav have missed out on selection for this match.

India Playing XI for 1st Test vs South Africa:

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