India name Abhimanyu Easwaran as Ruturaj Gaikwad's replacement for South Africa Tests

Uncapped opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has been called up to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad for India's upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa. Easwaran, who currently is the captain of the India A team, earned his spot following a commendable performance in the intra-squad game.

Gaikwad sustained an injury to his right ring finger during the second ODI in Gqeberha, leading to his absence from the third ODI for scans. After a thorough evaluation, the BCCI Medical Team determined that he would not be fit to participate in the rest of the series.

The Test series is set to commence with the Boxing Day Test at Centurion, followed by the second Test scheduled from January 3 to 7, 2024, in Cape Town.

India's tour in South Africa kicked off with a three-match T20I series, which concluded in a draw, with each team securing one win. The subsequent three-match ODI series saw the visitors emerge victorious with a 2-1 series win.

With Gaikwad's unfortunate injury, Easwaran's inclusion in the Test squad marks a significant opportunity for the 28-year-old to make his mark in international cricket.

India’s squad for Tests: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Abhimanyu Easwaran, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk)