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Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Parthiv Patel in fray for South Africa tour

While the first 15, including Hardik Pandya pick themselves for South Africa Tests, a large part of the discussion could surround the third spinner and second all-rounder, a second wicket-keeper

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Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav
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The national selection committee will meet here on Monday to pick several India teams for their international assignments over the next couple of months including the highly-anticipated tour of South Africa.

The selection committee of MSK Prasad, Debang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh will name squads for the third Test against Sri Lanka in New Delhi from December 2, the limited-overs teams (3 ODIs and 3 T20Is) against the same nation that follows the Test rubber and the Test squad for the tour of South Africa beginning with the first Test in Cape Town on January 5.

While opener Shikhar Dhawan returns to the third Test after missing the ongoing one here due to the wedding of his sister, there is unlikely to be any other change to the 15. Except, of course, captain Virat Kohli opts for rest to be mentally and physically prepared for the South Africa tour while also completing his personal commitments as speculations are that he is to get married to actor and long-time girlfriend Anushka Sharma in the coming month.

Kohli said at the start of the current series in Kolkata that he was not a robot and his body needed rest. "I do need rest. When I think my body should be rested, I will ask for it," he had said. The time for rest could be now.

While the first 15, including Hardik Pandya pick themselves for South Africa Tests, a large part of the discussion could surround the third spinner and second all-rounder, a second wicket-keeper and carrying an additional pacer.

All-rounder Pandya has been rested for the Sri Lanka Test series after making his debut in the red ball format in July-August in the Island Nation to manage his workload and avoid any chances of injury while also staying fresh for the next immediate overseas tour.

Kohli spoke high of Vijay Shankar prior to the Nagpur Test after the Tamil Nadu all-rounder was included in the squad for the second and third Tests against Sri Lanka as a replacement for the just-married Bhuvneshwar. He spoke of grooming a second all-rounder after Pandya that will be crucial for away series. Shankar has had a taste of the international cricket with the India 'A' team recently and has also been getting familiar with what is expected of him from the team under Kohli. Whether Shankar gets selected remains to be seen, but it is highly unlikely for now.

It would be interesting to see if Kohli wants a wrist spinner to add variety to the bowling combination but given the conditions in South Africa – India play Tests in Cape Town, Centurion and Johannesburg – there is hardly a requirement for a second spinner in the 11. To select chinaman bowler Kuldeep ahead of two of India's most successful spinners in recent times, R Ashwin or R Jadeja will be a bold decision that the selectors have to make.

Also in contention would be limited-overs specialist Jasprit Bumrah, who is due to be given a chance in the longer format. He has increased his pace and the awkward angle with which he delivers, he will be a challenge that the South Africans may face.

That said, India could select Bumrah and Yadav if they are going in for a 17-member squad. There is also a case for the second wicket-keeper, considering that the new rule allows for a substitute to keep wickets in case of an injury to the No. 1 gloveman.

Parthiv Patel may get that slot, as he was the gloveman when Wriddhiman Saha was out of the Test team due to injury for a while towards end of 2016. The selectors may have to either go in for Bumrah or Yadav if they still go with a tour party of 17.

Likely Test squad of 17 for South Africa: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav/Jasprit Bumrah and Parthiv Patel.

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