Review of Indian Test squads of South Africa-tour: 2013 vs 2018

Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav has been erratic at the start of his career. To add to his woes, he triggered a back-injury, which sidelined him from the Test squad for a chunk of 2013. Before that he last represented India in Test cricket against England in November 2012.

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami made his debut against the Windies in 2013 and immediately impressed with the red-cherry. In the first Test, he compiled bowling figures of 9/118, which still remains as the best bowling figures by an Indian fast bowler on debut.

Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma had a pretty ordinary time with the ball in 2013. He played India’s four-match Test series against Australia and picked up a mere seven wickets. He was subsequently dropped from India’s Test squad against West Indies in November owing to shoddy form.

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma made his debut against the West Indies and showed his class with a couple of centuries in Kolkata and Mumbai. At the Eden Gardens, he showed no sense of nervousness as he racked up his highest Test score till date. He followed it up with another ton at the Wankhede Stadium.

Pragyan Ojha

Pragyan Ojha had an impressive year going into the South Africa-series. He played a couple of games against Australia and picked up seven wickets in the series. However, during India’s second Test against the West Indies in Mumbai, he snared five-wicket hauls in both innings and subsequently bagged the Man of the Match award.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar made his Test debut against Australia on the back of impressive performances against Pakistan. During his six games in 2013, he couldn’t pick a truckload of wickets, but displayed temperament of a useful cricketer in Test cricket.

Ambati Rayudu

Ambati Hyderabad had a decent run in 2013, both in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League, He was subsequently rewarded with a spot in India’s Test squad for their tour of South Africa. However, he couldn’t get a game during the series.

Wriddhiman Saha

Wriddhiman Saha made his Test debut back in 2010. However, with Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the first-choice keeper, he hardly got opportunities in the playing XI. He played only two games before Dhoni’s retirement after the Melbourne Test against Australia in 2014.

Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan’s career has been marred with which, which has sidelined him for several games in international cricket. In 2013, he was excluded from the list of centrally contracted players. He picked 13 wickets in three games for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy following which he was selected for the South Africa Test series.