Mumbai, Oct 21 (IANS) Khaleel Ahmed and Gurnoor Brar have been added to the India A squad for the first of the two four-day games against South Africa A, to be held at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from October 30 to November 2. The duo are now a part of the squad for both Tests.

Brar recently featured in India A’s two unofficial Tests against Australia A. While the 25-year-old picked two wickets in the first game, he scalped six wickets in the next game, registering a three-wicket haul in both innings.

Ahmed, meanwhile, was a part of India A’s first unofficial Test but missed out on the second game. He then played Rajasthan’s recent Ranji game against Chhattisgarh, where he picked up three wickets in the first innings while contributing to his team’s nine-wicket victory.

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant is set to return to competitive cricket after a long injury layoff, as the BCCI Selection Committee has named the wicketkeeper-batter captain of the India A squad for the two four-day matches against South Africa.

Pant fractured the metatarsal in his right foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in late July, after inside-edging a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes. He was forced to retire hurt on 37, with scans later confirming a fracture.

Since then, the lengthy recovery period has caused Pant to miss the Asia Cup, a two-match Test series against the West Indies, which concluded earlier this month in India, as well as the ongoing white-ball tour of Australia down under.

Updated India A squad for the 1st four-day match: Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagdeesan (WK), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, Saransh Jain

India A squad for the 2nd four-day match: Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sai Sudharsan (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

— IANS

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