Rishabh Pant joins India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, marking his return to the 50-over format after more than a year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad on Sunday. KL Rahul will lead the team while regular captain Shubman Gill recovers from a neck injury sustained during the first Test earlier this month in Kolkata.
Pant, a wicketkeeper-batter, last played an ODI in August 2024. He also captained India in the ongoing Test series against South Africa, stepping in for the injured Gill. Selectors view his inclusion in the ODI squad as a significant boost for the team.
Ruturaj Gaikwad also makes a comeback, impressing selectors with a century and a half-century for India A earlier this month. The 28-year-old last played an ODI in December 2023.
India will play the three-match ODI series from November 30 to December 6, followed by a five-match T20 series.
The Indian squad features experienced players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, along with promising talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma. The bowling attack will include Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.
India’s squad for the South Africa ODIs:
- 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
The return of Rishabh Pant is expected to strengthen India’s middle order. His ability to play aggressive cricket and adapt to different situations makes him a key player.
While India welcomed the return of Rishabh Pant to strengthen their squad for the ODI series, Marco Jansen also dominated with the ball to put South Africa in command.
