Indian Test squad for South Africa 2019: Shubman Gill handed maiden call-up; KL Rahul dropped

Indian Test squad for South Africa 2019: The Indian selectors have finally dropped opening batsman Lokesh Rahul citing poor form.

The Indian selection committee have announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa at home. The selectors have dropping opening batsman Lokesh Rahul citing poor form has come as the biggest development.

In 17 Tests since November 2017, Rahul has scored 664 runs at an average of 22.89 and a strike rate of 54.92 including one century and two half-centuries. It was due to this unsuccessful spree that him getting named for the tour of West Indies was questionable.

In two Tests against West Indies last month, Rahul scored 101 runs at an average of 25.25 and a strike rate of 37.26. Having missed another golden opportunity to be among the runs, Rahul getting dropped was speculated widely.

Fast bowler Umesh Yadav has also been dropped without being given an opportunity since the tour of Australia last year. In a surprising move, the selectors have included two wicket-keepers for a home Test series.

Indian Test squad for South Africa 2019

Shubman Gill, who turned 20 a few days ago, has been handed a maiden call-up into the Test squad. The right-hand batsman, who played a couple of ODIs during India’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year, has been performing consistently in red-ball cricket in the last year or so.

Full squad – Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk),Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill

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