IND vs SA: Rinku Singh dropped; Shubman Gill included as India name squad for South Africa T20Is
(Courtesy : ACC)
India and South Africa will lock horns with each other in the five-match T20I series.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, December 3 announced the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against the South Africa Cricket Team. The series between the two teams begins on December 9 in Cuttack.
The Indian squad for the T20I series against South Africa will be captained by Suryakumar Yadav, while Shubman Gill makes a return. However, his availability will depend on the fitness clearance from the BCCI CoE. He missed the tests as well as the ODIs due to the neck injury that he suffered in the opening test in Kolkata.
Hardik Pandya also made a return to the team after a long injury break. The all-rounder’s last appearance for India was in the Asia Cup 2025 and after that, he was out of the action till he made his comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025.
He has replaced Nitish Kumar Reddy in the squad but what was surprising was that Rinku Singh was dropped from the team. He was part of the team for the last series against Australia but has been dropped, which hints that he might not be in plans for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to miss out, while the rest of the squad is similar to what it was in the Australia series. All-rounders in Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar have retained their place in the team.
The pacer battery includes Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are the two specialist spinners in the team.
India squad for the T20I series against South Africa
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC)*, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar
Note: * Subject to fitness clearance from BCCI COE.
India vs South Africa T20I series schedule
| Sr No. | Day | Date | Time | Match | Venue |
| 1 | Tuesday | 09-Dec-25 | 7:00 PM | 1st T20I | Cuttack |
| 2 | Thursday | 11-Dec-25 | 7:00 PM | 2nd T20I | New Chandigarh |
| 3 | Sunday | 14-Dec-25 | 7:00 PM | 3rd T20I | Dharamsala |
| 4 | Wednesday | 17-Dec-25 | 7:00 PM | 4th T20I | Lucknow |
| 5 | Friday | 19-Dec-25 | 7:00 PM | 5th T20I | Ahmedabad |
When will IND vs SA T20I series begin?
The IND vs SA T20I series will begin on December 9.
Who will lead India in the T20I series against South Africa?
Suryakumar Yadav will lead India in the T20I series against South Africa.
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Ankitjit Singh is a dedicated sports journalist whose childhood dream was to play cricket—now, he serves the game through his work. With over three years of experience in reporting, writing, and editing, he brings deep insight to his coverage. A journalism graduate from Delhi University, Ankitjit’s passion for cricket took root during his college days and continues to drive his career.