Pant to captain India A in red-ball series vs SA A in Bengaluru

Rishabh Pant will make his competitive return later this month as captain of India A for a two-match red-ball series against South Africa A in Bengaluru, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced on Tuesday. The unofficial Tests will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, with the first four-day match scheduled from October 30 to November 2 and the second from November 6 to November 9.

Pant, who fractured a toe while batting in the fourth Test at Manchester in July, has been out of action since the England tour. The selection marks his first competitive assignment ahead of India’s two-match senior Test series against South Africa, which begins on November 14 in Kolkata. Sai Sudharsan has been named vice-captain for both India A fixtures.

The selection committee named distinct squads for each game. The team for the first match is weighted toward younger and fringe players and lists Pant as captain-wicketkeeper alongside Ayush Mhatre, N. Jagadeesan (wicketkeeper), Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni and Saransh Jain. The second-match squad, which brings in several Test...