India Playing XI vs South Africa- 1st T20I, South Africa Tour of India 2025

India will take on South Africa in the first of the five-match T20I series. This article provides details about India's Playing 11 vs South Africa for the first match of the series.

India Playing XI vs South Africa- 1st T20I, South Africa Tour of India 2025:

Openers: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma

The Men in Blue would like to take the momentum of the win that the team registered in the third and final ODI against South Africa into the T20Is series against the same opposition and put on a strong performance with bat, ball, and in the field.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led side would aim to keep their strong record in T20I cricket since the last couple of years in check by getting the better of South Africa in the first of the five T20Is.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Although the home side has a settled core that has been playing together for a period of little over a year, there are certain areas the team management would be concerned about, one of them being the position of the second opener.

With clouds over the participation of vice captain Shubman Gill in the upcoming match, the team management is expected to give Yashasvi Jaiswal a chance alongside Abhishek Sharma.

Jaiswal is coming into the series on the back of his maiden ODI ton in the decider against South Africa and would look to make full use of the form that he has picked up at the right time.

Jaiswal's opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, on the other hand, has got runs under his belt as well and would like to add to that in the first T20I.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk)

As far as India's middle order is concerned, it is boosted by the return of fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who wasn't a part of the team for the T20I series against Australia.

Other than the return of Pandya, the look of the Indian middle order remains as it was against Australia, with captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma batting at number three and four, respectively.

As has been the case in the recent past, the Men in Blue are expected to go into the first T20I against South Africa with a deep batting lineup that bats till number eight.

The likes of Shivam Dube and Axar Patel provide depth to the team with their all-round skills, with wicketkeeper batter Jitesh Sharma being the finisher.

Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

When it comes to the bowling resources that India has at its disposal, it includes names like Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, who will take care of the team's fast bowling attack and will be assisted by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.

The spin bowling department of the home team will be handled by Axar Patel, with Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma also chipping in if required.

India will have six bowling options other than Abhishek and Tilak for the T20I series opener against South Africa.

The inclusion of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube in the playing XI gives Suryakumar Yadav the option of rotating his bowlers according to the situation of the game.