Harshit Rana has been left out of India’s Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against South Africa, beginning November 14. The BCCI’s latest selection has made headlines as it ends what many described as the “coach’s grace” period, referring to Gautam Gambhir’s influence in earlier team selections.
Shubman Gill will lead the Test side, while the squad’s announcement brought a clear message from the selectors that team spots will now depend strictly on performance, not recommendations. Rana, who was once seen as Gambhir’s trusted player and had featured across formats in recent months, failed to make a lasting impact with his bowling.
Fans had funny and emotional reactions after Harshit Rana was dropped from India’s Test squad for the South Africa series.
Some were sad and confused. One fan wrote, “Harshit Rana legend player kha gya 😔😔,” asking where their favorite bowler disappeared to. Another joked, “Gauti when he is asked this question by Harshit Rana…” hinting at Gautam Gambhir’s silence after his student’s exclusion.
Some fans made wild guesses about replacements. A user wrote, “Don’t be surprised if Shivam Dube is replaced by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Arshdeep Singh is replaced by Harshit Rana 👀,” hoping Rana might still get another chance.
Others took it lightly with humor. One said, “This New Zealand team is more obsessed with Devon Conway than Gautam Gambhir is with Harshit Rana,” teasing Gambhir’s favoritism. Another fan added, “It is because of Harshit Rana 😎💀,” trying to connect him jokingly to everything happening in cricket.
A few users were sarcastic — @JoshiVidhanshu mocked the earlier hype around Rana, saying, “And India goes to Australia with Harshit Rana 🤡,” suggesting he didn’t live up to expectations. @MTapree echoed a similar tone, hinting that selectors finally made the right call. Overall, fans mixed sadness, sarcasm, and fun while reacting to Harshit Rana’s exclusion.
A Look at India’s squad for the Test series against South Africa
India announced their Test squad for the 2025 South Africa series, marking Rishabh Pant’s return as vice-captain after injury. Shubman Gill will lead the team for the two-Test series beginning on November 14. Mohammed Shami once again misses out, while Akash Deep earns a recall.
The squad includes Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain & wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep.
The series starts with the first Test at Eden Gardens from November 14 to 18, followed by the second Test at ACA Stadium from November 22 to 26. The Test series will be followed by three ODIs (Nov 30–Dec 6) and five T20Is (Dec 9–19).
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in Test Series
India and South Africa have faced each other in 44 Test matches. India has won 16, South Africa has won 18, and 10 have ended in a draw.
South Africa leads in Test wins overall, with 18 victories compared to India’s 16. At home, India has won 12 Tests, while South Africa has claimed 14 wins on their soil.
India’s highest Test total against South Africa is 643 for 6 declared at Eden Gardens in 2010. South Africa’s highest is 620 for 4 declared at Centurion in 2010. The lowest total by India is 66 at Durban in 1996, and South Africa’s lowest is 55 at Cape Town in 2024.
Virender Sehwag holds the highest individual score for India with 319 at Chennai in 2008, while Hashim Amla’s 253 not out at Nagpur in 2010 is South Africa’s best.
FAQs
Q. Who announced the India Test squad for the South Africa series 2025?
A. The BCCI announced the Indian Test squad for the two-match series against South Africa, starting on November 14, 2025.
Q. Who is the captain of India for the South Africa Test series?
A. Shubman Gill will lead Team India, while Rishabh Pant will serve as the vice-captain and wicketkeeper.
Q. Why was Harshit Rana dropped from the squad?
A. Harshit Rana was left out because his recent performances were not strong enough. The selectors made it clear that selection will now depend on performance, not recommendations.
Q. Who replaced Harshit Rana in the squad?
A. Akash Deep was added to the squad in place of Harshit Rana, while Mohammed Shami was also not included this time.
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