"Let's leave that one for tomorrow": Gill stays non-committal on Axar-Kuldeep choice ahead of South Africa Test
Ahead of the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Indian captain Shubman Gill remained non-committal on the final playing XI, particularly on choosing between spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Gill said the decision will be made after assessing the pitch on match morning.
ANI
Nov 13, 2025 17:29 IST
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 13 (ANI): Ahead of the first Test against South Africa, Indian skipper Shubman Gill spoke about choosing between spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav in the playing 11, stating, 'Let's leave that one for tomorrow'.
Gill will lead the Indian team against the defending World Test Championship champions South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series, starting from Friday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Gill also stated that the final decision on the playing combination will be made after assessing the wicket on match morning.
"Let's leave that one for tomorrow. I think once we come tomorrow, see how the wicket looks in the morning, we are going to take a decision on what kind of combination would give us the best chance to be able to win this test match," said Gill during the pre-match press conference.
India's seam attack is set to be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj, while Akash Deep is the third pacer in the squad. The spin options include the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav. Notably, Jadeja, Axar and Washington also offer valuable batting depth to the team.
Gill mentioned that the playing 11 is "more or less finalised" but refrained from revealing the exact lineup.
"Yes, I think more or less finalised it. But I think once when we came yesterday, the look of the wicket was a little different. Today it looks a little different. So once we come tomorrow and see how the wicket is looking."
"And I think in this part of India, light goes a little early. So all those things have to be kept in mind. Generally, fast bowlers get a little help in the morning and evening. So, once we come tomorrow and see how the wicket is looking, we will decide accordingly. In general, whenever we play in India, the spinners more or less decide the game. The better the quality of the spin attack you have, the better chances you have of winning the match," Gill added. (ANI)
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