The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday named fast-bowler Avesh Khan as a replacement for pacer Mohammed Shami in the second Test against South Africa, starting from January 3 in Cape Town.

“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,” BCCI said in an official statement.

Shami was ruled out of the series due to injury. Shami was originally a member of the Test team but did not recover in time for the series. Due to an ankle injury, he has not participated in a competitive game since the World Cup final on November 19.

Avesh is summoned as reinforcement to bolster the pace attack for the Cape Town Test after India suffered a defeat against Proteas in the first match in Centurion.

Avesh was a member of India’s ODI team that recently faced the Proteas, but the bowler is yet to make his Test debut. In the ODI series against the Proteas the pacer played a match-winning role in the series opener at The Wanderers in Johannesburg. He took 4/27 and severely harmed South Africa’s batting order, causing the Proteas to be bowled out for 116 in 27.3 overs. India knocked down the goal in 17 overs and won the game by an eight-wicket margin.

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Meanwhile, India suffered a defeat in the opening Test of the two-match series by an innings and 32 runs. Now Rohit Sharma-led side will be aiming to bounce back and triumph in the second and last Test of the series to avoid white-wash. Hosts outplayed visitors in all departments.

The visitors scored 245 in their first innings, thanks to a tenacious KL Rahul century. South Africa, on the other hand, replied forcefully with Dean Elgar, who will retire after this series, smashing a superb 185.

As the hosts posted a respectable first-innings total of 408, David Bedingham (56) and Marco Jansen (84) each added significant fifties. India struggled in their second innings, being bowled out for 131.

India’s squad for 2nd Test: India’s squad for Tests: 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 and Avesh Khan.

Source: ANI