Key Points:
- KL Rahul appointed ODI captain, taking over due to Gill’s absence and recent good form.
- Shubman Gill ruled out for the ODI series and is expected to be unavailable until 2026 due to nerve-related neck injury.
- Rishabh Pant returns after a 15-month break, set to play as primary wicketkeeper-batsman.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad recalled for his top-order consistency, making a comeback after 23 months.
- Senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli included, strengthening India’s batting lineup.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced Team India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa, scheduled from November 30 to December 6, 2025. KL Rahul will captain the team in place of Shubman Gill, who is sidelined with a nerve-related neck injury that could keep him out till 2026. This marks a major opportunity for Rahul, last seen as ODI skipper in 2023 against South Africa, to step up as a leader again.
Squad Changes and Senior Players Return
The selectors have shown faith in KL Rahul, not only due to his batting form and leadership potential but also because incumbent captain Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer remain injured. Senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back in the ODI mix, enhancing India’s batting depth for the series. Pace spearheads Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have been rested, while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is recalled following his absence against Australia.
Pant’s Comeback and Gaikwad’s Consistency Highlighted
Star keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant makes a strong return to the ODI squad, ending a long injury absence and standing out with his recent performances in domestic cricket. Pant’s energetic presence adds reliability to the middle order and behind the stumps. Ruturaj Gaikwad earns a recall following a successful India A series, where he scored heavily and proved his consistency at the top of the order.
India’s ODI Squad for South Africa (2025):
- KL Rahul (captain)
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Tilak Varma
- Washington Sundar
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Harshit Rana
- Prasidh Krishna
- Arshdeep Singh
- Dhruv Jurel
With Shubman Gill’s ongoing recovery and Pant back in the mix, India will look to leverage its deep batting and versatile bowling attack against the Proteas, starting November 30 in Ranchi.
