Mon Nov 24 04:50:00 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KL Rahul to Lead India in ODI Series Against South Africa Amid Injury Setbacks

New Delhi, India – The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced the squad for the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa, scheduled to commence upon the conclusion of the ongoing Test series. In a shakeup, KL Rahul has been named captain, stepping in due to injuries to newly appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer.

Gill sustained an injury during the first Test in Kolkata, while Iyer is still recovering from an injury sustained during India’s recent tour of Australia. Rahul last captained India in 2023, leading the team to a 2-1 ODI series victory against South Africa.

The squad sees a blend of experience and fresh talent. Senior batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will continue to anchor the top order, with Yashasvi Jaiswal expected to open alongside Sharma. Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been included to bolster the middle order in Iyer’s absence. Both Varma and Gaikwad last played an ODI during India’s tour of South Africa in 2023. Gaikwad recently impressed with India A, notching scores of 117, 68 and 25* in a 2-1 series win against South Africa A.

Rishabh Pant has also been named in the squad, potentially marking his first ODI appearance since India’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2024. He joins Rahul and Dhruv Jurel as wicket-keeping options.

In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have been rested, opening opportunities for Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh to lead the pace attack. The all-rounder slots are filled by Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, with Axar Patel missing out. Reddy recently represented India A and was also part of the Test squad in Guwahati.

India ODI Squad:

  • KL Rahul (C)
  • Rohit Sharma
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal
  • Virat Kohli
  • Tilak Varma
  • Rishabh Pant
  • Washington Sundar
  • Ravindra Jadeja
  • Kuldeep Yadav
  • Nitish Kumar Reddy
  • Harshit Rana
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad
  • Prasidh Krishna
  • Arshdeep Singh
  • Dhruv Jurel

Following the ODI series, India will prepare for a five-match T20I series against South Africa, building towards the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held on home soil next year.

ODI Series Schedule:

  • November 30: 1st ODI, Ranchi
  • December 3: 2nd ODI, Raipur
  • December 6: 3rd ODI, Visakhapatnam

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