India set to pick Test squad early

India’s selectors will pick squads for the ODIs and the Tests in South Africa when they meet in Baroda on Monday, though the Test series begins only on December 18. The early selection is designed to give the players as much preparation time as possible. The BCCI is planning to send the Test specialists to South Africa a week in advance.

The selection committee was scheduled to meet in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, during the second ODI against West Indies, but the meeting was rescheduled due to the cyclone that hit coastal Andhra Pradesh.

India are likely to take 16 players for the two Tests in South Africa, and while 12 pick themselves the other four spots could be filled by a variety of people. This is India’s first selection since the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar and his spot in the XI is likely to go to Ajinkya Rahane or Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the home Tests against West Indies because of a shoulder strain.