India's squad for South Africa tour announced, Rohit-Kohli rested in white-ball cricket, Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal makes comeback in ODIs

Advertisment

India's Men’s Selection Committee gathered in New Delhi on Thursday to finalise the squad for the upcoming all-format tour of South Africa. The tour, featuring three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Test matches, promises to be a crucial test for the Indian team. In addition, India A will play two four-day matches against South Africa A, along with an inter-squad three-day match.

In a significant development, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two stalwarts of Indian cricket, have opted for a break from the white-ball leg of the tour. This move was made following their formal request to the board. This decision has paved the way for KL Rahul to don the captain's hat for the ODIs, providing him with a unique leadership opportunity.

In the T20I format, the team will be led by explosive batter Suryakumar Yadav, with Ravindra Jadeja appointed as the vice-captain. This decision underscores Jadeja's growing influence, not just with the ball but also as a strategic asset for the team.

Advertisment

Rinku Singh and Rajat Patidar received their maiden ODI call

The squad announcement also marked the return of Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal to the ODI setup, providing a fresh dimension to the team composition. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been in exceptional form, has been rewarded with a spot in all three formats.

In ODIs, the team will see the inclusion of promising talents like Sai Sudharsan, Rinku Singh, and Rajat Patidar, signalling a blend of youth and experience. Shreyas Iyer, having showcased his prowess in white-ball cricket, returns to the Test squad, adding depth to the middle order—however, the absence of Mohd. Shami in the squad raises concerns about the pace attack. Shami is currently undergoing medical treatment, and his participation in the tour will depend on his fitness.

Advertisment

The squads for the Test series, T20Is, and ODIs are as follows:

Test Squad:

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd. Shami*, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna

T20I Squad:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (WK), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Deepak Chahar

ODI Squad:

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (C) (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, and Deepak Chahar