South Africa A won the second match to level the series 1-1.
The two-match IND A vs SA A unofficial Test series was levelled 1-1. India won the first match by three wickets, while the visitors clinched the second Test by five wickets. In the process, South Africa chased down the highest-ever fourth-innings total in A games. With the India vs South Africa Tests to begin on November 14, Shubman Gill would tinker with the lineup based on some key takeaways from this series.
During the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Dhruv Jurel was part of the playing XI only after Rishabh Pant’s injury. Moreover, Jurel donned the gloves as a wicketkeeping-substitute, while Pant would come out to bat with a fractured finger or foot. But the Player of the Series award winner has been making a strong case for his selection. Jurel, who played only the second match for India A, was the top scorer with a hundred in each innings. With growing concerns over an unstable No.6, Jurel can follow Pant as a dedicated batter, even when not keeping behind the wickets.
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The vice-captain of India A managed 84 runs across four innings. Sai Sudharsan opened the innings in the first match, but batted at No.3 in the second unofficial Test. However, in the senior team, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul open the innings, while Sudharsan takes the third spot. But the 24-year-old’s First-Class average of 39 hasn’t shown any improvements. In nine international Tests, Sudharsan has scored 273 runs with two fifties at a lower average of 30. While the Gujarat Titans opener was in blazing form in the IPL 2025, his lack of returns in the longest format may lead the management to prefer Abhimanyu Easwaran or Sarfaraz Khan.
Though a bit inexperienced at the age of 23, Harsh Dubey is a bowler who can bat. With the recent flux of preferring players like Nitish Kumar Reddy in place of a dedicated spinner like Kuldeep Yadav, Dubey is the right choice. From 45 FC matches, the SRH player has bagged 125 wickets and made exactly 1,000 runs. In the second innings of the second unofficial Test, the southpaw batter played a rescue act with an 84-run knock. With time, Dubey can be groomed for the international stage and included in the squad for upcoming tours.
India’s next Test assignment will begin on November 14 against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The second and final Test will be played in Guwahati, from November 22, before the focus shifts on the white-ball leg of the home series.
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