The second Test between India and South Africa will be played in Guwahati on November 22nd. There is uncertainty about Shubman Gill’s participation in this Test match. Now, news has emerged that Nitish Kumar Reddy is set to return to the Indian Test team before the second match against South Africa in Guwahati. Reddy was released from the team before the Eden Gardens Test and was asked to play India A’s match against South Africa. The BCCI had previously stated that Reddy would join the team for the second Test, but he has been called up earlier and will train with the team during the optional session at Eden Gardens on November 18th.
If Gill doesn’t play in the Guwahati Test, Pant could captain the team in the second Test. Meanwhile, according to reports, Shubman Gill will not be participating in the Indian team’s practice session at Eden Gardens on November 18th. The report also states that Gill will not travel to Guwahati for the second Test. Rishabh Pant will captain India in Gill’s place in the second Test.
Nitish Kumar Reddy was included in the team
As such, speculation is rife that if Gill doesn’t play in the second Test, Nitish Kumar Reddy will be included in the Indian playing XI. Reddy has played two List A matches for India A, and although he didn’t get to bat or bowl in the second match, he scored 37 runs and took 1/18 in the first match of the ongoing three-match series in Rajkot. His return to the Test team means the all-rounder will miss the third match against India A on November 19th.
Nitish Kumar Reddy has played nine Test matches so far, scoring 386 runs. Reddy has scored one Test century and taken eight wickets. Nitish came to prominence after a strong performance in IPL 2024.
India Test squad : Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper) (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy.