The India vs South Africa Test series kickstarts on November 14 in Kolkata.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced India’s Test squad for the two-match Test series against reigning world champions South Africa, scheduled for November 14 at home. The squad features a great blend of youth and experience, but also includes some notable absentees. Three major omissions from the announced lineup are Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, and Mohammed Shami.
India Test Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep
After making a historic comeback to the national setup after eight years during the England tour earlier this year, Karun Nair has once again found himself out of the selectors’ plans. The 33-year-old missed two months of cricket due to a finger injury sustained during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, ruling him out of the Duleep Trophy and KSCA Maharaja T20 Trophy. Nair was then ignored for the recently concluded two-match Test series against West Indies at home and now again for the South Africa series despite having recovered fully from the finger injury.
The BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained the rationale behind his snub, stating that the selectors “expected more” from the right-hander.
Nair, who moved back to Karnataka from Vidarbha, has been in sublime form in the domestic circuit. Nair is currently the second-highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, scoring 488 runs in four innings at a staggering average of 162.66, including two hundreds and a fifty. However, despite his recent consistent performances, Nair’s omission reflects the BCCI’s intent to back younger players as part of its long-term transition strategy.
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Sarfaraz Khan’s omission from India Test squad once again sparked debate among fans and experts alike. The Mumbai batter has worked hard on his fitness off-season, shedding a considerable amount of weight while continuing to perform in domestic cricket. Yet, the selectors opted for Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal, both left-handers, to fill the potential middle-order slots ahead of him.
Although Sarfaraz’s recent red-ball returns for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 have been modest, managing 95 runs in three matches, his overall first-class average remains one of the best in India’s domestic cricket. Despite his high averages and runs in first-class cricket, Sarfaraz remains on the fringes.
With the selectors seemingly preferring all-rounders like Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar even on home pitches, Sarfaraz had to miss out yet again.
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami’s absence stands out in the bowling department. Despite a public fallout with chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Shami made a strong statement in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26. The right-arm pacer, who last played a Test for India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in 2023, has claimed 15 wickets in just five innings at a remarkable average of 15.33, including a five-wicket haul. His omission, despite proven fitness and recent red-ball form, hints at a possible end to his international career.
With the senior pros like Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma drawing curtains on their Test careers already, Shami’s absence could indicate at the beginning of a new era, where India banks on youngsters to the job.
The India vs South Africa Test series begins on November 14 in Kolkata, with the second Test slated for November 22 in Guwahati.
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