Xtra Time Web Desk: In a strategic move to overcome the setbacks of the previous tour to South Africa, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering sending senior test specialists such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane to participate in first-class games ahead of the upcoming test series against South Africa. The aim is to better prepare the players and enhance their performance in the challenging conditions of South Africa.
The India A team is slated to tour South Africa for three first-class games, providing a valuable opportunity for players like Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, Yash Dhull, Kona Bharat, Upendra Yadav, and Saurabh Kumar to showcase their skills. There’s speculation about whether Ashwin, Rahane, and Unadkat will also be included in the India A squad for at least one of the three games.
The BCCI is reportedly planning to organize five to six first-class games for the India A side in the next two months, spanning from December to January. This extensive preparation is deemed crucial as the Indian cricket team is scheduled to play seven Test matches in the following four months – two against South Africa and five against England, both away and at home. Three first-class games are set to precede the South Africa series, with an additional two to three potentially planned before the England series, possibly against England Lions (England ‘A’).