Rishabh Pant was ruled out for nearly three months after he fractured his foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July.
This series also marks the return of two Indian heavyweights who will be seen in action for the first time in the Indian jersey since the ICC Champions Trophy Final earlier this year.
Conversations might have been different if Pant got his execution right: Jansen
Ravichandran Ashwin exposed India batters' lack of quality to battle ball tweakers by claiming that if legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar or past domestic heroes Amol Muzumdar, the India women's team head coach and Mithun Manhas had played against spinners on such a track, the Test would have gone to four days, unlike India's harrowing 30-run defeat against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel faced spinners while wearing only one pad to counter the turning deliveries, a method that comes with an element of risk, in Kolkata on Monday.
From Gill to Bumrah: India team, support staff, BCCI VP Shukla arrive at Gambhir's residence for special dinner
Jasprit Bumrah vented his frustration at cricket's tech limits after John Campbell survived a lifeline just shy of his maiden Test hundred on Monday.
For the first time in many years, India are going into a home Test match as underdogs and not favourites. Ask any player worth his salt and he would tell that it is not a happy place to be.
Images from Day 2 of the 1st Test between India and West Indies in Ahmedabad
How Mumbai Maidan coach Patwal's tough-love sessions gave Harmer his second wind
India A captain Shreyas Iyer has pulled out of the second unofficial Test against Australia A starting in Lucknow on Tuesday because of personal reasons.
Simon Harmer picked up four wickets as South Africa staged an incredible fightback to shock India by 30 runs in a low-scoring first Test match.
As Jurel basked in the applause from the limited number of spectators, the 34-year-old Pierre celebrated his first Test scalp.
The Proteas arrive high on confidence, having fought out a hard-earned 1-1 draw in Pakistan last month under challenging conditions.
The final Test begins on Friday in New Delhi, and the Shubman Gill-led side is expected to maintain their winning combination as they look to wrap up the home series.
A screening of Anurag Kashyap's crime thriller Nishaanchi starring Aaishvary Thackeray, Monika Panwar and Vedika Pinto was held on Thursday night.
Karnataka, Maharashtra register innings wins to go 1-2 in Group B of Ranji Tropphy.
Opener Musheer Khan (112) and veteran Siddhesh Lad (100 not out) hit centuries to rally Mumbai to 289/5 on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match against Himachal Pradesh.
India will be desperate for a quality replacement for the crucial No. 4 slot with Shubman Gill likely to be ruled out for the must-win second and final Test against South Africa.
Top-order batters subjugate India A's Test bowlers as SA A register five-wicket win
The series promises a fascinating duel between the two modern-day pace greats.
Shubman Gill was rewarded with the captaincy of the Indian ODI team for the upcoming tour of Australia, the BCCI announced on Saturday.
K L Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan struck sublime hundreds as India A registered a stunning five-wicket win over Australia A while hunting down a target of 413 to seal the two-match unofficial Test series 1-0, in Lucknow, on Friday.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between India and South Africa, in Kolkata, on Friday.
'To take two left-arm spinners to Australia is not possible, but he is clearly in the scheme of things with how good he is.'
'It's about the huge privilege even if you are not getting the chance (to play), you are (still getting to be) with the squad. How many get to be with the squad and how many (get to) play Test cricket?'
India A skipper Rishabh Pant will look to build on the gains from the first match, while the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav will aim for crucial red-ball game time in the second four-day match against a Temba Bavuma-led South Africa A in Bengaluru from Thursday.
A round-up of Sunday's action in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy group stage matches.
The national capital will have a new top-flight club of the country as Sporting Club Delhi was launched on Saturday after the rebranding of Indian Super League side Hyderabad FC.
Assessing Sai Sudharsan's temperament and Nitish Kumar Reddy's utility in home conditions would be topmost on India's checklist when the high-on-confidence hosts take on a floundering West Indies
Jadeja reduces South Africa to 93/7 in second innings, India smell big win
The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit -- at least in two formats -- in this interim period.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in New Delhi on Tuesday.
This was India's fourth defeat in the last six Tests at home and in all four Tests -- including three against New Zealand -- their batters have flopped against spin.
The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium will aid the batters with lot of runs expected.
The BCCI has postponed Wednesday's press conference to Thursday afternoon, where Ajit Agarkar will unveil India's squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies, with Shubman Gill returning as captain.
'Never knew golf could be this much fun.'
Rishabh Pant's return to competitive cricket after a three-month injury-enforced hiatus will be the primary focal point of India A's four-day match against South Africa A.
UAE play Oman at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday, 15 September. Their last group game is with Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday, 17 September.
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