India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant was on Tuesday (October 21, 2025) appointed captain of the national A side for a red-ball series against South Africa A after fully recovering from a foot fracture sustained during the tour of England.

Pant had injured his foot while batting in the fourth Test at Manchester in July and subsequently was not part of the Asia Cup squad and more recently the two-Test home series against the West Indies.

He was struck on his right toe by a Chris Woakes delivery but came out to bat heroically, scoring a half century albeit in a lost cause.

Rishabh Pant and the art of conquering pain

The selectors have named him in the India A squad for both the games, to be held in Bengaluru from October 30. The A series will give Pant valuable game time ahead of the two-match home Test series against South Africa beginning November 14 in Kolkata.

Some other prominent names that will feature during the course of the two four-day games include K.L. Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, who has been named vice-captain, Devdutt Padikkal, wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna among others. All six were a part of the squad for the West Indies Tests.

Prasidh, Siraj, Akash Deep and Jurel will play the second game, from November 6 to 9, during the short series. N Jagdeesan will be the second wicketkeeper in the squad for the first match.

Sudharsan, whose technique was tested against the West Indies spinners, would be looking to improve that aspect of the game.

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India regulars like Rahul, Siraj, Krishna and Jurel are part of the squad for the second game beginning November 6.

Akash Deep, who has not played Test cricket since the tour of England, is also available for the second unofficial Test.

Among the domestic performers, it will be interesting to see how pacers Gurnoor Brar and Khaleel Ahmed fare.

South Africa's A team, to be captained by batter Marques Ackerman, will feature senior team captain Temba Bavuma, who would be returning after recuperating from a calf injury.

South Africa A will also play three one-day matches against India A in Rajkot from November 13 to 19.

The senior Test series, from November 14 to November 26, will be followed by three ODIs and five T20 Internationals.

India A squad for the 1st four-day match

Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagdeesan (WK), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, Saransh Jain.

India A squad for the 2nd four-day match

Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

Fit-again Pant to captain India 'A' squad in red-ball series against South Africa 'A'