The BCCI announced on Friday that Avesh Khan, an India fast bowler, has been added to the Team India list for the second and final Test of the series against South Africa. Mohammed Shami, who was forced to miss the series due to injury, was replaced by Avesh. In the first Test in Centurion, the visitors lost by an innings and thirty-two runs against the Proteas after a lackluster performance from the batting order. With Virat Kohli batting more than half (76) of the runs for the team on Day 3, India was folded at 131.
India lost 408 runs in the first innings, demonstrating how poorly they played with the ball. Although the conditions at the Centurion were conducive to bowling, no bowler seemed particularly dangerous save for Jasprit Bumrah, who claimed four wickets. While taking a wicket in 20 overs, debutant Prasidh Krishna was far from brilliant, giving 93 runs in 20 overs. Shardul Thakur was even more costly, recording statistics of 1/101 in just 19 overs.
That might have put pressure on the team management to add a pacer to the lineup as India looks to even the two-match series. Avesh participated in the just finished ODI series against South Africa, where he took six wickets in three games, however he has not yet played in a Test match for India.
In the first ODI, Avesh had stats of 4/27 and was instrumental in India’s victory over the Proteas, bowling them out for just 116 runs.
The right-arm bowler has participated in eight Twenty20 Internationals and nine One-Day Internationals so far. Although Avesh has not yet received a Test cap, he has an outstanding first-class record with Madhya Pradesh. The 27-year-old has taken 149 wickets at a 22.65 average in 38 games. He played for the Central Zone in the Deodhar Trophy in July of this year, which was his last first-class match.
South Africa, known as the “final frontier,” is the only Test-playing nation where India has not yet won in a longest-format series. Even if India’s next tour to the Rainbow Nation won’t arrive until at least later, Rohit Sharma’s team will undoubtedly want to prevent a run of losses and draw in South Africa for the first time since 2011–12.
