On Friday, October 25, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian National Cricket Team’s squad for the T20I series against the South Africa National Cricket Team.
The Indian national cricket team is all set to tour South Africa for a four-match T20I series in November under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav.
Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak get their first call-up
The India T20I team for the series against the Proteas will see the absence of fast pacer Mayank Yadav, all-rounder Shivam Dube and youngster Riyan Parag.
Mayank and Dube are currently sidelined with injuries, while Riyan Parag is currently at the BCCI Center of Excellence for long-term resolution of his chronic right shoulder injury.
Among the notable inclusions, Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak received their first call-ups after their brilliant performances in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“Mayank Yadav and Shivam Dube were not available for selection due to injuries,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India mentioned.
“Riyan Parag was not available for selection and is currently at the BCCI Center of Excellence for long-term resolution of his chronic right shoulder injury,” the BCCI said in an official press release.
India squad for 4 T20Is against South Africa:
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan , Yash Dayal.
Full Team India Details
In the four-match T20I series against the South Africa national cricket team, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal will once again be unavailable, leaving room for Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson to open the innings. The duo also opened in the Bangladesh T20I series and did a decent job for the team, with Samson even smashing a brutal ton.
Other batsmen in the Suryakumar Yadav-led team are Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma along with star all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and newcomer Ramandeep Singh. Ishan Kishan has been ignored once again, and Jitesh Sharma has been chosen as the back-up goalkeeper.
Notably, Axar Patel was picked for the T20I series against South Africa after being dropped from the Test squad for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. He was pipped for selection in the Test team by Washington Sundar.
There are two spinners in the team – Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi. Both the spinners played in the Bangladesh series and impressed the Indian selectors with their brilliant performance.
On the bowling side, Arshdeep Singh will lead the attack, which also consists of Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan and Yash Dayal. Notably, Dayal was in the scheme of things for Test cricket but was dropped after the Bangladesh Test series without getting a chance and was not even selected for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Talking about the T20I series schedule, the matches will be played on November 8, 10, 13 and 15 at four venues in Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion and Johannesburg.