India set to pick Test squad early

India's selectors will pick squads for the ODIs and the Tests in South Africa when they meet in Baroda on Monday, though the Test series begins only on December 18. The early selection is designed to give the players as much preparation time as possible. The BCCI is planning to send the Test specialists to South Africa a week in advance.

The selection committee was scheduled to meet in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, during the second ODI against West Indies, but the meeting was rescheduled due to the cyclone that hit coastal Andhra Pradesh.

India are likely to take 16 players for the two Tests in South Africa, and while 12 pick themselves the other four spots could be filled by a variety of people. This is India's first selection since the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar and his spot in the XI is likely to go to Ajinkya Rahane or Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the home Tests against West Indies because of a shoulder strain.

The composition of the bowling group, however, is not as clear. Ishant Sharma's place is under the scanner - he was in the squad for the West Indies Tests but did not play - but don't be surprised if he makes the trip to South Africa. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are the first choice seamers, but because there could be space for a fifth quick, either Zaheer Khan or Jaydev Unadkat might make it. The selectors are likely to leave Zaheer's selection up to the team management. If he is not a certainty in the playing XI, he might not get included in the squad.

Gautam Gambhir's chances of being selected as reserve opener hang in the balance despite his match-winning hundred for Delhi, in trying conditions, against Haryana. If the selectors feel Dinesh Karthik is suitable for a dual role - that of reserve wicketkeeper and reserve opener - then Gambhir might not make the squad. Gambhir has scored 372 runs in six Ranji Trophy innings this season, while Karthik has only 85 in four without a half-century. However, if the selectors decide to exclude Pragyan Ojha, who is unlikely to be used in South African conditions, both Gambhir and Karthik could be included, with Suresh Raina being another candidate for a reserve batsman.

For the ODIs, it will be interesting to see if the selectors persist with Yuvraj Singh. He scored an unbeaten 77 off 35 balls on his comeback in the T20 against Australia, but scored only 35 runs in five ODI innings since. In the bowling department, Vinay Kumar is likely to be retained despite his mediocre form against Australia because of the unavailability of Dhawal Kulkarni, who got injured a day after being picked for the West Indies ODIs.

Test squad certainties M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kolhi, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja

Remaining four Test slots Two out of Zaheer Khan, Jaydev Unadkat and Ishant Sharma; two out of Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina and Pragyan Ojha