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The much-anticipated India vs South Africa Test series is just around the corner, and ahead of the first Test at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has revealed his predicted playing XI for Team India. Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, the Men in Blue will take on Temba Bavuma’s South Africa, the reigning World Test Championship (WTC) winners, in what promises to be a gripping contest between two formidable red-ball sides.
Abhishek Nayar backs Dhruv Jurel as second wicketkeeper
Nayar’s selection has sparked intrigue, particularly with his decision to include Dhruv Jurel as a second wicketkeeper alongside Rishabh Pant. The former Mumbai cricketer praised Jurel’s recent form, highlighting his twin centuries for India ‘A’ against South Africa ‘A’ in Bengaluru as a key factor behind his inclusion.
“I would want to, if you have persisted with someone for so long. Dhruv Jurel has been fantastic — got a hundred against the West Indies, two back-to-back hundreds now playing for India A vs South Africa A — so terrific, but I want to position him in a place where he can succeed,” Nayar said while speaking on Star Sports.
According to Nayar, Jurel’s ability to contribute as a reliable lower-order batter and a sharp wicketkeeper could provide India with the ideal balance in challenging conditions.
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Ravindra Jadeja only spinner in Nayar’s XI
Despite India’s history of playing multiple spinners at home, Nayar surprised many by naming Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spin-bowling option. He left out Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar, emphasizing Jadeja’s all-round value and recent batting form.
“Ravindra Jadeja at No. 6. For me, No. 7 in these conditions, I would look for a Dhruv Jurel because he is in that sort of form. I would want him to be part of the setup. Unfortunately, everyone is going to be like ‘damn, a Kuldeep Yadav may have to miss out in this setup for me,’” Nayar stated.
In a bold move, Nayar opted for Nitish Kumar Reddy as a pace-bowling all-rounder, pointing out that India might need an additional seam option rather than a second spinner at the Eden Gardens.
“In these conditions, considering how challenging it is going to be for the batters, I would want that extra surety with a batter and a seamer. So Nitish Reddy comes in and then you have my three seamers in that team. That’s the kind of setup I would go for,” Nayar added.
Abhishek Nayar’s India XI for first Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
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