India, Nov. 5 -- India's 15-member squad for the two-match Test series against South Africa is more than just a routine announcement. It is a clear snapshot of where the selection committee wants red-ball cricket to go over the next World Test Championship cycle.

With Shubman Gill at the helm, Rishabh Pant as his deputy, and a young, flexible core around them, the message is unmistakable: a fresh team with an eye for the WTC final.

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.

The biggest talking point is the name not on t...