Yashvi Saiwal dropped from squad after Shubman Gill's rest; Ashwin criticizes selectors

Following South Africa's defeat by Australia in the first match of the three-match series of test games by a margin of 214 runs, significant changes were made to the South African squad under the leadership of Themba Bavuma. The team star, batsman Tristan Stubbs, was dropped, and Matthew Brightzeke was included in the 17-man squad in his place.

The second match of this series is scheduled for October 18th and will take place at Stuut George Park in Gqeberha. In the first test against Australia, Tristan Stubbs failed to demonstrate outstanding results in batting; he scored 32 runs in the first innings, and his score stopped at one run in the second. It was after this that the team management decided to drop him.

Despite having previously shown an impressive performance of 94 runs in the match against India, his failure against Australia proved decisive. Matthew Brightzeke will get the opportunity to prove his worth in Test cricket. Previously, Brightzeke had played two Tests for South Africa, scoring only 14 runs, but his recent ODI performance strengthened his chances of selection. He scored a century in the first ODI against Australia.

South Africa's head coach, Shukri Conrad, noted that Brightzeke's current form was one of the main reasons for his inclusion, and he highly praised his character and conduct. In the second test, wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton will play as a batsman. After confirmation from coach Shukri Conrad, Kyle Verreyn's place in the starting eleven looks difficult, as he failed to score a half-century in his last 13 Test matches.

South Africa still needs to decide whether Rickelton will open the game or take a lower position in the batting order. If he bats lower, another batsman will need to be chosen to start the game alongside Aiden Markram. Tony De Джорgi, suffering from a hamstring injury, is currently unavailable for selection. Because of this, Matthew Brightzeke might get a chance to start, although inconsistent batsman Marcus Ekerman is also an option.

There is hope that Kagiso Rabada will return to the South African squad for the second test. He could not participate in the first test due to a minor hamstring issue, and the final decision on his fitness will depend on the team's needs and medical assessment. South Africa also has other options in fast bowling, such as Eric Nortje, Marco Jansen, Vian Mulder, Gerald Coetzee, Dan Patterson, and Corbin Bosch. Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, and Senuren Mutusami remain in the team. Furthermore, heavy rain on the first day of the second test may affect the squad selection, forcing South Africa to choose its starting eleven depending on circumstances.

The South African squad for the second test includes: Themba Bavuma (captain), Marcus Ekerman, David Bellingham, Matthew Brightzeke, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Vian Mulder, Senuren Mutusami, Eric Nortje, Dan Patterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, and Kyle Verreyn.

South Africa's schedule against Australia: First Test – October 9 to 13 in Durban (Australia won by 214 runs); Second Test – October 18 to 22 in Gqeberha; Third Test – October 27 to 31 in Cape Town.

India won the three-match one-day series against the West Indies with a score of 2-1. Despite the victory, questions began to arise regarding the team selection policy by the management.

Former Indian national player Mohammad Kaif expressed strong dissatisfaction with the work of head coach Gotam Ghombir and the selection committee. Kaif sharply criticized the way young players are dropped from the squad, giving them only one chance.

Posting a video on his YouTube channel, Mohammad Kaif criticized the working methods of coach Gotam Ghombir and the members of the selection committee. He cited the behavior of the young fast bowler Akib Nabi as an example, noting that such treatment completely destroys the confidence of new players.

Kaif angrily stated that the management brings in young athletes but then fails to support them. He emphasized that if a player is given a chance to play, they should be given more opportunities. He questioned why Nabi was excluded, considering that Cambodia also played in the match. In Kaif's opinion, this behavior leads to the ruin of young players' careers.

He added that he does not know when Nabi will be able to play in baseball cricket again, suggesting he might never play. Kaif considers this completely wrong and points to the lack of backup players. He warned that if this policy continues, it will become a serious problem for the team.

It should be noted that Akib Nabi debuted in an international match against the West Indies in the second match in Guwahati at the Barsapara stadium on September 30, 2026. He came into the starting lineup instead of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, but in this match, he conceded 84 runs in 8.5 overs and took no wickets. After this, he was shown a direct exclusion from the squad in the third and final match on October 3.

Head coach Gotam Ghombir explained the decision to rest Nabi in the last match by stating that matches with 'dead rubber' lack the pressure present when a series is at stake, and that such matches do not give the player the necessary experience. However, Ghombir's argument did not satisfy Kaif.

Mohammad Kaif spoke not only about the coach but also about the difficulties faced by captain Shubman Gill, as well as the decisions of the selection committee. He noted that India gained no new advantages from this series, but merely repeated old problems. He also commented on Captain Gill, stating that his performances by Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Kell Rahul are not news, as they have always played this way. According to him, in this series, the team failed to correct its weaknesses or add anything new, only reducing player confidence.

Kaif noted that Gill is still inexperienced and learning in the role of captain. He is concerned that he is a young captain leading a young attacking team. The approach of the World Cup leaves little time, and it seems like he is nervous.

Criticizing the selection committee, Mohammad Kaif stated that they are failing to manage experienced players. He also expressed strong disagreement regarding the constant ignoring of the experienced fast bowler Mohammad Shami. Kaif sarcastically noted that, in his opinion, several mistakes have been made. He pointed out that the selection committee has many former bowlers who play an important role, but they cannot get along with Shami. He expressed confidence that they themselves went through similar periods in their careers.