Team India all-rounder Washington Sundar backed Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel over poor strokes that led to their dismissals on Day 3 of the Guwahati Test against South Africa. Sundar said that Pant has tasted success with the same approach in the past and added that the management backs him completely. India had another poor day in the office on Day 3 of the second Test against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Monday, November 24. Resuming their second innings at 9-0, the hosts were all-out for 201 in 83. 5 overs. Pant was dismissed for seven as he skipped down the track to Marco Jansen, but only managed to nick the ball to the keeper, while Jurel (0) mistimed a pull. The Indian captain came in for heavy criticism from fans and experts following his ugly dismissal. Sundar, however, threw his weight behind the batters. Speaking at a press conference after the end of Day 3 in Guwahati, he said: “On another day, both the balls would have gone into the stands and all of us would have appreciated and clapped. That’s how it is. Sometimes, you’ve just got to back their plans and their skill sets as well, given the fact that they have shown lot of evidences in the past as well. Obviously, the execution didn’t go the way we wanted.” Asked for an assessment of India’s batting failure on Day 3 of the Test against South Africa, Sundar replied that it is up to the individuals to take a call on how to play. The all-rounder elaborated: “There’s quite a few ways you can play the game and I think it’s up to the individuals as to what their plans are, especially on this wicket. We just back our plans and at times it doesn’t go the way we wanted to.” India got off to a decent start on Day 3 of the Guwahati Test and were 95-1 at one stage. However, they kept losing wickets to concede a huge first-innings lead. “It wasn’t a snake pit” Washington Sundar on Guwahati wicket for 2nd IND vs SA 2025 Test While India’s bowlers struggled to make an impact against South Africa in the first innings, the Proteas were a lot more effective. Left-arm pacer Jansen made the ball talk, claiming 6-48 from 19. 5 overs. Sundar admitted that the pitch remained a good one to bat on Day 3 as well. The 26-year-old said: “It wasn’t a snake pit or whatever you may call it. I mean, it’s a very good wicket. It’s a true wicket. Not many days you’ll get to bat on such tracks, especially in India. If you spend time there, runs are for the taking. You can’t really contain runs for a very long period of time.” Sundar, who batted at No. 3 in the previous Test, came in at No. 8 on Monday. He contributed a defiant 48 off 92 balls, while Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 58. At stumps on Day 2, South Africa were 26-0 in their second innings, having taken all overall lead of 314 runs.
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3 players for watch out for in IND-A vs SA-A 1st Unofficial Test 2025 ft. Rishabh Pant
India ‘A’ vs South Africa ‘A’: First Unofficial Test Underway in Bengaluru
India ‘A’ is set to take on South Africa ‘A’ in a two-match unofficial Test series ahead of the Proteas’ upcoming tour of the subcontinent. The first first-class game kicked off on Thursday, October 30, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named a strong squad across both matches, with most of the main Test squad members expected to feature in the second game.
In the opening Test, India ‘A’ won the toss and elected to bowl first. Anshul Kamboj provided an early breakthrough for the home side, putting the visitors on the back foot. However, South Africa ‘A’ have recovered well and currently stand at 153 for 2 in 39 overs, aiming to dominate the opening day’s play.
India ‘A’ Squad for the 1st Four-Day Match
- Rishabh Pant (Captain & Wicketkeeper)
- Ayush Mhatre
- N Jagdeesan (Wicketkeeper)
- Sai Sudharsan (Vice-Captain)
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rajat Patidar
- Harsh Dubey
- Tanush Kotian
- Manav Suthar
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Gurnoor Brar
- Anshul Kamboj
- Yash Thakur
- Ayush Badoni
- Saransh Jain
3 Players to Watch Out For in India ‘A’ vs South Africa ‘A’ – 1st Unofficial Test 2025
1. Rishabh Pant
The star wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant is making a much-anticipated return to competitive cricket after recovering from a foot fracture sustained during the fourth Test against England in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Pant not only returns to play but also leads the India ‘A’ team as they prepare for the upcoming home series against South Africa.
India ‘A’ batter Sai Sudharsan recently praised Pant’s fitness, stating he looks fitter than ever, which adds to the excitement around his comeback. Given his full recovery, Pant is expected to be an automatic pick for the senior Test squad. It will be interesting to see how quickly he sheds any rustiness.
Notably, Pant’s last significant injury layoff was due to a car accident, after which he quickly regained form, enjoying a stellar 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season and earning a spot in the 2024 T20 World Cup squad.
2. Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar, the flamboyant middle-order batter, is steadily climbing the ranks thanks to his recent consistent performances. He could soon break into the Indian middle-order if he maintains his form and a vacancy arises.
Patidar’s recent exploits include two centuries leading the Central Zone to victory in the 2025 Duleep Trophy and a fifty in the first innings of the Irani Trophy for the Rest of India team. He also kicked off his Ranji Trophy season with a commanding unbeaten century.
Coming into the India ‘A’ setup in such rich red-ball form, Patidar is definitely one of the players to keep an eye on against South Africa ‘A’. With India still debating the middle-order spots—contested by players like Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal—Patidar could strengthen his claim with another solid showing in the upcoming matches.
3. Ayush Mhatre
Mumbai youngster Ayush Mhatre has fast-tracked his way into the India youth setup following an impressive 2025 IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). At just 18 years old, Mhatre has captained the India U-19 side on tours to England and Australia.
While he has had moments of inconsistency, Mhatre has compiled two hundreds and a fifty in his last 10 outings for India’s youth teams. Recently, he featured in Mumbai’s 2025-26 Ranji Trophy opener against Jammu and Kashmir, contributing useful cameos but missing the chance to build a big innings.
This match marks Mhatre’s debut in India ‘A’ colors, and it will be exciting to see how he performs against experienced bowlers like Tshepo Moreki, Lutho Sipamla, and Prenelan Subrayen, all of whom have international cricket experience.
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Stay tuned for more updates as the unofficial Test series between India ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’ unfolds.
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