Pant returns as India A captain as they bowl first against SA A

India A opened their unofficial Test series against South Africa A on Thursday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, with Rishabh Pant making his return to competitive cricket as captain and India A choosing to bowl after winning the toss. Anshul Kamboj struck early for the hosts, but South Africa A recovered to 153 for 2 in 39 overs by midafternoon on the opening day.

Pant, who sustained a foot fracture during the fourth Test against England on July 23 and missed subsequent home fixtures while rehabilitating, led a 15-player India A squad that includes potential newcomers and fringe Test contenders such as Ayush Mhatre, Sai Sudharsan and Rajat Patidar. South Africa A named a balanced touring side featuring Marques Ackerman as captain and a mix of experienced and emerging players including Zubayr Hamza, Jordan Hermann and Prenelan Subrayen.

The four-day match, scheduled to run through Sunday, is being used by both boards to assess depth ahead of the senior South Africa tour of India next month. The first unofficial Test is being televised on the Star Sports network and streamed on the JioCinema platform for viewers in India. Match officials conducted the toss shortly...