3 Indian players who are excluded from the Test squad for South Africa series

India and South Africa will face off in a two-Test series starting on November 14, 2025. The tour will also include three One-Day Internationals and five Twenty20 Internationals, which will commence after the Test series ends.

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The first test of the India versus South Africa Test series will begin on November 14 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The second test of the series will be contested at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati beginning November 22.

The Indian squad was announced on November 5, and we take a look at 3 big names that were missing from the same.

Here are 3 Indian players who are excluded from the Test squad for the South Africa series:

3. Karun Nair  

Karun Nair was a big name missing from the Indian Test squad. He was dropped from the Indians squad for the West Indies series after failing on his India comeback in England. Recalled after 8 years to the Indian team, Karun Nair got to play four tests but struggled, scoring only one fifty.

However, Karun has been in terrific form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26. He has returned to the Karnataka team and has scored 73 against Saurashtra, followed by an unbeaten 174* against Goa and a magnificent 233 against Kerala.

2. Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan’s absence from the Indian Test squad remains a mystery. He last played for India in November 2024, against New Zealand, and has scored 150 in the Bengaluru Test. Despite hitting 92 runs for India A against the England Lions, he was overlooked for the England Test series and did not play a single game during the Australia trip.

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He suffered an injury and has lost weight as well. His transformation has been amazing, but his recent form for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 has not been good. He is yet to score a single fifty thus far in three rounds of matches.

1. Mohammed Shami

Veteran speedster Mohammed Shami is a huge absentee from the Indian squad. Due to fitness issues, the Bengal bowler was unable to travel to England and the West Indies, but he has since made a remarkable comeback in domestic cricket.

Shami demonstrated his rhythm and match fitness in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy by taking eight wickets against Uttarakhand and then again against Gujarat. Maybe BCCI wants to see more of him in domestic cricket before bringing him back into the Indian team.

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