Follow UsIndia have announced their squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa beginning November 30 in Ranchi, with KL Rahul appointed stand-in captain after regular skipper Shubman Gill was ruled out due to a neck injury. Rahul takes charge with vice-captain Shreyas Iyer also unavailable as he continues recovery from an abdominal injury.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the decision on November 23 (Sunday), naming a 15-member squad that sees the return of senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, alongside a few new names.
The batting group will be anchored by Rohit and Kohli, supported by younger picks such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma, while Rishabh Pant and Rahul strengthen the middle order and wicketkeeping options. Ruturaj Gaikwad has also been picked after displaying some stellar form for India 'A' across formats. While it’s almost sure that Jaiswal will be opening along with Rohit, the number four slot is to be given either to Tilak or Pant.
The selectors have opted for a mix of experience and youth, as Jadeja returned to the ODI setup, reinforcing the all-round balance with Axar Patel missing from the side. The spin unit features Kuldeep Yadav, while Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna will lead the pace attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested for the series along with Mohammed Siraj.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana have been included in the side as well. Dhruv Jurel’s inclusion adds additional wicketkeeping depth after his recent performances in domestic and A-tour games. Sanju Samson has been dropped as a result of this choice.
India and South Africa will play the first ODI at Ranchi on November 30, followed by fixtures in Indore and Kolkata.
India’s Squad For South Africa ODIs
Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (c & wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel.