The Guwahati Test will start on November 22. Before that, we have the latest injury and squad updates. The pitch won’t be similar to that in Eden Gardens. Indian batters are using ‘old ways’ to prepare for the Proteas spin test. If Shubman Gill doesn’t play, an out-of-the-box replacement has been suggested. The BCCI has postponed a tour, and the board has also been asked to expand the IPL.
IND vs SA: Injury & squad updates
Shubman Gill will fly to Guwahati with Team India, but he isn’t confirmed to feature in the second South Africa Test. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been added back to the squad and might just play to break the left-handedness in the middle order. The Proteas have called Lungi Ngidi as cover for Kagiso Rabada.
PBKS owners IPL suggestions
Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia has urged the BCCI to increase the number of matches in the IPL. The board has already decided to play 94 games, instead of 74, from 2028, but Wadia thinks the sooner it happens, the better. He also suggested reviving the Champions League T20.
Pitch report for Guwahati Test
The Indian management has asked for a true surface for the Guwahati Test. A red soil will be rolled out, which means there will be pace and bounce. The BCCI has instructed chief curator Ashish Bhowmick to prepare a pitch that doesn’t have invariable bounce after the Eden Gardens debacle.
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India’s special spin practice
After India’s struggles against spin in Kolkata, Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel were spotted batting in the nets with just a single pad. This old-school technique encourages batters to play with their bat instead of their pad. This unique training forces left-handed batters, 6 of whom played at Eden Gardens, to play on the front foot.
Gaikwad to play IND vs SA 2nd Test?
Aakash Chopra has suggested bringing Ruturaj Gaikwad into India’s Test squad if Shubman Gill doesn’t recover. Since Simon Harmer’s 6 out of 8 wickets were of lefties, bringing Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal doesn’t make sense. The former India opener emphasised Gaikwad’s current form, solid technique, and ability to bat in the middle order.
India’s tour of Bangladesh postponed
BCCI has postponed India women’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh. Earlier in the year, the men were to tour the neighbours’ but the board deferred the series to 2026. The reason for both remains the same: political tension between the two governments. Read more about it here.
