KL Rahul has been appointed captain for India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, which begins on November 30 in Ranchi. The decision follows the unavailability of regular skipper Shubman Gill, who was ruled out of the series due to a neck injury sustained during the first Test in Kolkata.
The BCCI selection committee has named wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as Rahul’s deputy, marking his return to a leadership role in the 50-over format. Senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have also been included in the 15-member squad, adding significant experience to the top order.
The squad features notable changes to the batting lineup, necessitated by injuries and form considerations. With vice-captain Shreyas Iyer sidelined due to a spleen injury, left-hander Tilak Varma has been recalled to bolster the middle order.
Ruturaj Gaikwad also returns as a backup opener, rewarded for his recent strong performances for India A, where he scored a century against South Africa A. Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open the batting alongside Rohit Sharma, while Dhruv Jurel joins the squad as a third wicketkeeping option alongside Rahul and Pant.
In the bowling department, selectors have opted to rest frontline pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to manage their workloads following a demanding home Test season. The pace attack will instead be spearheaded by Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana, supported by seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
The spin department sees the return of Ravindra Jadeja, who will partner with Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, while Axar Patel has been omitted from this series.
The three-match series is scheduled to kick off in Ranchi, followed by matches in Raipur on December 3 and Visakhapatnam on December 6. Meanwhile, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya remains unavailable for international selection as he completes rehabilitation for a quadriceps injury, though he is expected to participate in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda. F
