The India senior selection committee will meet here on Thursday to pick the squad for the three-Test series against South Africa beginning on October 2.
The main focus will be on getting the opening combination right in view of the team’s unimpressive record on this front, coinciding with K.L. Rahul’s long struggle.
White ball vice-captain Rohit, who couldn’t make the cut in the playing XI against the West Indies, is expected to be tried out as an opener. Also in contention are Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, Priyank Panchal of Gujarat and Shubman Gill of Punjab.
In the bowling department, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who isn’t fully fit, is likely to miss out. Allrounder Hardik Pandya could be back in the squad, or Navdeep Saini could be roped in as a back-up pacer.
