Rishabh Pant has made a notable return to India's Test squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, starting November 14 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This two-match series will also feature a second Test in Guwahati from November 22, marking the city's first-ever Test match. Pant's inclusion comes after he recovered from a foot fracture sustained during the fourth Test against England in July. He replaced N Jagadeesan in the squad following a selection meeting held on November 5.

Pant showcased his readiness by leading India A to victory against South Africa A, scoring 90 runs in the second innings of their recent four-day match. He will serve as vice-captain to Shubman Gill, who is the captain of the Test team. Dhruv Jurel, who impressed during the West Indies series, will be the second-choice wicketkeeper.

The rest of the squad remains unchanged from the previous series against the West Indies. Key players like Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar will join the Test squad after completing their T20I commitments in Australia, with the T20I series concluding on November 8. Kuldeep Yadav has been released early to prepare for the Test series by participating in India A's next match.

India currently ranks third in the World Test Championship standings with 61.90% points, while South Africa is in fifth place with 50% points after a recent 1-1 series draw in Pakistan. The complete Test squad for India includes: - Shubman Gill (C) - Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC) - Yashasvi Jaiswal - KL Rahul - Sai Sudharsan - Devdutt Padikkal - Dhruv Jurel - Ravindra Jadeja - Washington Sundar - Jasprit Bumrah - Axar Patel - Nitish Kumar Reddy - Mohammed Siraj - Kuldeep Yadav - Akash Deep

As the series approaches, fans are eager to see how the team performs, especially with the blend of experienced players and emerging talents in the squad.