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

How Twitter reacted:

Mate, only one of them will play na….both possibly can’t. https://t.co/W3A0vXGSS9

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 12, 2019

.@ImIshant, @Hanumavihari and @RishabhPant17 make it to the Test squad! 🙌

Shubman Gill gets a maiden call-up 👏👏#INDvSA #ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals https://t.co/VS3D7PHcmG

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) September 12, 2019

First win as India-A Captain ✅

Maiden 🇮🇳 Test Team Call-up ✅

How the birthday week has been for @RealShubmanGill 💜#TeamIndia #KorboLorboJeetbo https://t.co/eO1Bg833ZY

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) September 12, 2019

KL Rahul has to go back to domestic cricket and that may not be so bad for him. And I think the selectors have been prudent with Hardik Pandya given recent fitness issues. The arrival of Vihari & the fact that the next five tests are in India probably made it tough anyway

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 12, 2019

So Rohit will open as was likely. Glad Shubman has been included. So he is the back up who will now be readied and I have always felt he is one for the future.

— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) September 12, 2019

No KL Rahul in the squad means Rohit Sharma will get his tenth opportunity to find a place in the Test XI, this time as opener. Excited for Shubman Gill too – who has an average of 70 since 2018. https://t.co/Phtcm8vMGA

— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) September 12, 2019

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About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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