- By Gurmeet Batra
- Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India vs South Africa Tests: India's star speedster Mohammed Siraj has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of the two-match Test series against reigning WTC champions South Africa, stating that the series will be a pivotal contest in the World Test Championship new cycle.
India, currently third in the WTC points table, pulled their away series in England before thrashing the West Indies at home earlier in the cycle.
South Africa, on the other hand, started the defence of their WTC crown with a 1-1 draw in an away Test series against Pakistan.
"This series is crucial for the new WTC cycle, especially since South Africa is the defending champion. While they drew 1-1 with Pakistan, we're confident from our own good form, we created a positive environment, performed well in England, and won against the West Indies," Siraj said on JioStar.
Siraj's meteoric rise continued in England, where his ferocious pace and identity accuracy induced 23 wickets, making him India's leading wicket-taker in the gruelling five-Test series. He continued his fine form against the West Indies, claiming 10 wickets across two matches.
"Personally, I'm bowling with good rhythm and looking to make the most of it. Facing strong teams helps identify areas to improve, and I'm really excited for this challenge," he added.
IND vs SA Squads
India’s Test Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep.
South Africa Test Squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Dewald Brevis, Zubayr Hamza, Tony de Zorzi, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer.