Copyright sportskeeda
Former India player Parthiv Patel has picked his Indian XI for the first Test against South Africa. While observing that 10 players virtually pick themselves, he highlighted that the team management needs to answer just one question.India will face South Africa in a two-match Test series, with the first game scheduled to start in Kolkata on November 14. The selectors recently picked a 15-member Indian squad for the series, with Shubman Gill as the captain and Rishabh Pant as his deputy.During a discussion on Star Sports, Parthiv picked three frontline spinners and two specialist seamers in India's probable playing XI. He opined that the hosts will have to choose between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Dhruv Jurel for the No. 6 position."Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul will open. Sai Sudharsan will be at No. 3, Shubman Gill at No. 4, and then you will see Rishabh Pant playing at No. 5. The No. 6 position is slightly tricky. Otherwise, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah," Parthiv said."There will be only one question for India, and that will be at No. 6, whether you want to play Nitish Reddy or Dhruv Jurel. It will be an early start in Kolkata. So can Nitish Reddy play the role of the third seamer? Then you can use Nitish Reddy with two seamers, and three spinners will come in the second innings," the former India wicketkeeper-batter added.Parthiv Patel's Indian XI for IND vs SA 2025 1st Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy/Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah"The only thing is the combination you want to play with" - Parthiv Patel on Dhruv Jurel's place in India's XI for IND vs SA 2025 1st TestDhruv Jurel scored a century in the first Test against the West Indies. [P/C: BCCI/X]In the same discussion, Parthiv Patel acknowledged that Dhruv Jurel has been scoring runs consistently, but noted that the Uttar Pradesh wicketkeeper-batter might not get a place if the Indian team management is looking for an all-rounder."Whether it was against the West Indies or wherever and whichever position Jurel has gotten to bat in, he has scored runs. The only thing is the combination you want to play with. If your combination is that you want to play an all-rounder, then he might not get a place," he said.However, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that Jurel merits a place if Shubman Gill and company want to play a specialist batter at No. 6."However, if you want to play a pure batter, Dhruv Jurel can play there, and this management has already shown that kind of confidence in Dhruv Jurel once. He played as a batter in Perth. Although India won that Test match, he didn't get a chance after that. I feel Dhruv Jurel has done enough to be considered as a batter in the Test team," Parthiv observed.Dhruv Jurel has scored twin hundreds in the ongoing second unofficial Test between India A and South Africa A. He scored an unbeaten 132 off 175 deliveries in India A's first innings and remained unbeaten on a 170-ball 127 in the second innings.
