India's thorny Centurion questions: Rahul vs Bharat, Thakur vs Ashwin

As India prepare to play their first Test match in five months, against South Africa at Centurion, they will have four areas of debate when they select their team. Here are their options, and what each of them offer.

Top order
India have tried it once previously but for the first time in a year, and the first time away from home since January 2012, they line up for a Test match with neither Cheteshwar Pujara nor Ajinkya Rahane in their XI. While the transition away from those two seems to be complete, there are still some questions around certain roles, particularly No. 3.

Shubman Gill has opened in 16 of his 18 Tests so far, and alongside Rohit Sharma in 10 of them. In the West Indies earlier this year, he dropped down to No. 3 with Yashasvi Jaiswal opening wiith Rohit. Jaiswal's first three innings in Test cricket brought him 171, 57 and 38. In the same two Tests, Gill made 6, 10 and 29*.

It leaves Gill on unsure footing: he averages 32.20 after 18 Tests and his two centuries have come on flat tracks: against Bangladesh in Chattogram and Australia in Ahmedabad in a rare home draw. KL Rahul, who batted superbly on the last tour of South Africa, can be a good fit at No. 3 but that gives him little time to recover should he take the keeping gloves too. And if Rahul doesn't keep, it leaves India half a batter light.

Wicketkeeper
Virat Kohli - assuming he rejoins the team ahead of the first Test, as expected, following his departure for personal reasons - and Shreyas Iyer are locks in the middle order as is Ravindra Jadeja. That leaves a question mark over only one remaining slot: that of the wicketkeeper. India have preferred of late to pick the better batter of the choices available to them. If they continue with that philosophy, Rahul will be starting only the second first-class match of his career as the designated wicketkeeper. If he does so, it will only be fair he is not asked to bat in the top order. If India do go with KS Bharat, either Gill or Rahul might have to make way depending on who they prefer at No. 3.

Bowling allrounder
The No. 8 has always been a matter of debate when India have travelled to seam-friendly countries, and they have tended to pick Shardul Thakur ahead of R Ashwin, one of the Test greats. That seems to be the likely choice more so because there is rain forecast on the first two days of the first Test, which in Centurion means more assistance for seam and little time for the pitch to deteriorate.

Fast bowlers
Jasprit Bumrah, playing his first Test since July 2022, and Mohammed Siraj are certain starters barring any fitness issues. With Mohammed Shami injured, the choice for the third seamer comes down to Mukesh Kumar, who debuted in the West Indies earlier in the year, and the uncapped Prasidh Krishna.

Mukesh has the Shami-like attributes of upright seam and skiddy accuracy, but not at Shami's pace. Prasidh brings exactly what India seemed to miss on their last tour of South Africa: Ishant Sharma-like height and the ability to hit the deck.

A third option for the third quick could be Thakur but that would mean going in with two spinners.