India vs South Africa Series: Squad Announcement Expected Today — Will Rohit Sharma Return as Captain?
India is set to announce its ODI and T20I squads for the South Africa series today. With Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer injured, Rohit Sharma may return as captain. Full details, schedule, and squad predictions inside.
Rohit Sharma could return as captain for India in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will today unveil the Indian team for the upcoming series against South Africa which will consist of three ODIs and five T20Is. The selection panel has been watched closely because of the numerous important players who are still being treated and the possible come back of the aged opener Rohit Sharma as captain.
Gill and Iyer Unavailable — Captaincy Question Returns
India's new ODI captain, Shubman Gill, has already been leading the team during a month-long visit to Australia. He is not in action at the moment due to a neck injury sustained during the first Test against South Africa. To compound the problem, Shreyas Iyer, the ODI team's vice-captain, is also missing the series due to an injury he sustained during the third ODI in Sydney.
The selectors are reportedly thinking about bringing Rohit Sharma back into the squad, mainly for the ODIs, as he is one of the main batsmen in the top order. In October, Rohit was dethroned from his position despite leading the team to triumph at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.Key Talking Points Ahead of the Squad Reveal
📌 Wicketkeeper Options
KL Rahul remains India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs, but competition for the backup slot is tight. Options include:
Rishabh Pant
Dhruv Jurel
Sanju Samson
Ishan Kishan
📌 Mohammed Shami Comeback?
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami, who last played in the 2025 Champions Trophy final, has impressed in the Ranji Trophy and could make a return—at least for the ODI format.
📌 No Bumrah and Hardik in ODIs
Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to feature in the ODI leg but is expected to return for the T20Is. Similarly, Hardik Pandya is being monitored at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and is likely to feature only in the T20 series.
📌 Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Strong Claim
After standout performances in the South Africa A series, Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to earn a spot, particularly in Gill’s absence.
📌 Yashasvi Jaiswal as Opening Replacement
If Gill is ruled out of both formats, Yashasvi Jaiswal may open in ODIs and T20Is, marking his return to the T20 setup after more than a year.
South Africa Squads Already Announced
South Africa has named experienced squads for both formats, featuring:
Temba Bavuma (ODIs captain) and Aiden Markram (T20I captain)
Star power including Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Dewald Brevis, and David Miller
Probable Indian Squads
ODIs
Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana
T20Is
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy
Match Schedule
Date Match Venue Time
Nov 30 1st ODI Ranchi 1:30 PM
Dec 3 2nd ODI Raipur 1:30 PM
Dec 6 3rd ODI Visakhapatnam 1:30 PM
Dec 9 1st T20I Cuttack 7:00 PM
Dec 11 2nd T20I Mullanpur 7:00 PM
Dec 14 3rd T20I Dharamsala 7:00 PM
Dec 17 4th T20I Lucknow 7:00 PM
Dec 19 5th T20I Ahmedabad 7:00 PM
