NEW DELHI: The BCCI named
Avesh Khan
as a replacement for injured fast bowler
Mohammed Shami
for the second Test against South Africa.
The second Test will be played from January 3, 2024 at Newlands in Cape Town.
India trail the two-Test series 0-1 after losing the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 32 runs on Thursday.
Shami was ruled out of the two Tests as he did not get the necessary clearance from the BCCI medical team.
"The Men's Selection Committee has named Mr Avesh Khan as a replacement for Mr Mohd. Shami for the second Test against South Africa to be played from 3rd-7th January 2024 in Cape Town," the board said in a release on Friday.
Avesh, 27, had a part in India's successful campaign in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, where he grabbed six wickets. Avesh has so far claimed 149 wickets in 38 first-class games at a pace of 22.65.
Avesh is presently playing for the India A team in a four-day tour match at Benoni versus South Africa A. He returned 23.3-5-54-5 to aid in bowling out the hosts for 263 in the opening innings.
The Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, bemoaned the lack of encouragement fellow bowlers offered pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah during one of the team's biggest losses in South Africa.
India entered the Test with Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj,
Prasidh Krishna
, and
Shardul Thakur
as seam possibilities and star spinner
Ravichandran Ashwin
in the mix.
"This was not a 400-run wicket and we gave too many runs. We sprayed the ball all around, but it happens. One can't depend on one particular bowler (Bumrah), the other three pacers also needed to perform their roles, we could learn from how South Africa bowled," Rohit told the media after the match.
"Bumrah bowled well and we all know his quality. All he wanted was a bit of support which he didn't get. That happens. All three tried hard, bending their backs but didn't happen the way we wanted to.
"But games like these teaches you a lot as to what you want to do as a bowling unit," Rohit added.
India's squad for 2nd Test: Rohit Sharma (C),
Shubman Gill
,
Yashasvi Jaiswal
,
Virat Kohli
, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin,
Ravindra Jadeja
, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj,
Mukesh Kumar
, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Avesh Khan
(With PTI inputs)
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