IND vs SA: Test cricket uncertainty for Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav?

While the focus remained on the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the white-ball leg of India's tour of South Africa, the Test squad witnessed the exclusion of two seasoned players, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. These experienced stalwarts were notably absent from the lineup announced for the upcoming two Test matches in South Africa. Additionally, seasoned fast bowler Umesh Yadav did not secure a spot in the squad.

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Ajinkya Rahane, with 85 Test matches under his belt, has accumulated 5077 runs at an average of 38.46. His last Test appearance was in July during the West Indies series. Cheteshwar Pujara, boasting 7195 runs at an average of 43.60 in 103 Tests, last played a Test in June against Australia. As for Umesh Yadav, he in Test has taken 170 wickets in 57 games.

Many reports suggested Ajinkya Rahane, who contributed with a score of 89 in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, is speculated to have potentially played his final Test, alongside Cheteshwar Pujara.

"The two slots that Rahane and Pujara had now belong to KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Also, Gill will bat in the middle order and Yashashvi will get a long rope," PTI quoted a source.

Rahane was entrusted with leadership responsibilities. His commendable leadership during the 2019-20 Border-Gavaskar Trophy earned him widespread acclaim.

For Rahane, following the successful 2019-20 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, his cricketing journey took a downturn. The BCCI's selection committee decision to appoint him as the team's vice-captain for the West Indies series faced criticism and was not universally welcomed.

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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly expressed his surprise at the decision, proposing that Ravindra Jadeja would have been a more suitable choice for the role.

"I won't say it's a step backwards. You have been out for 18 months, then you play a Test and you become a vice-captain. I don't understand the thought process behind it. There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches, he is a candidate," Ganguly had told PTI after the Test squad for the Caribbean tour was announced.

India's squad for Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd. Shami*, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna.

Note: Mohd. Shami is currently undergoing medical treatment and his availability is subject to fitness.