India T20 squad for South Africa tour announced, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mayank Yadav, Riyan Parag OUT

On Friday, October 25, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India National Cricket Team squad for the T20I series against the South Africa National Cricket Team.

The India National Cricket Team is set to tour South Africa for a four-match T20I series in November under Suryakumar Yadav's leadership.

Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak receive maiden call-ups

India T20I squad for the series against the Proteas will see the absence of express 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 Centre of Excellence for the long-term resolution of his chronic right shoulder injury.

Among the notable inclusions, Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak have received their maiden call-ups following their brilliant performances in domestic cricket as well as the Indian Premier League (IPL).

"Mayank Yadav and Shivam Dube were unavailable for selection owing to injuries," the Board of Control for Cricket in India mentioned.

"Riyan Parag was unavailable for selection and is currently at the BCCI Centre of Excellence for long-term resolution of his chronic right shoulder injury," the BCCI said in an official media release.

India’s 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.

India Squad Complete Details

Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal will once again be unavailable in the four-match T20I series against the South Africa National Cricket Team, which will make 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 side, with Samson even smashing a brutal ton.

Other batters 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 again, with Jitesh Sharma being picked as the backup wicket-keeper.

Notably, Axar Patel has been picked for the T20I series against South Africa after being dropped from the Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia. He has been pipped by Washington Sundar for the selection in the Test squad.

There are two spinners in the squad in Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi. Both the spinners played in the Bangladesh series and impressed the Indian selectors with their brilliant performance.

In the pace-bowling side of things, 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 an opportunity and was not even selected for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Talking about the T20I series schedule, the matches will be played on November 8, 10, 13, and 15 across four venues in Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg.