"Ready for the third star" - Suryakumar Yadav's India begin T20I series against South Africa with new look

India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, will take on South Africa in the first T20I of the five-match series at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday, December 9. Ahead of the opener, the BCCI shared a video of Team India players trying on the brand-new T20I jersey for the first time ahead of the home World Cup 2026.

The upcoming T20I series will be the final leg of preparation for India ahead of the T20 World Cup. Several key players, including Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube, joined the national team after playing for their respective state sides in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025.

Ready For The Third Star - India Skipper Suryakumar Yadav

The BCCI unveiled a pre-series photoshoot video with stars such as Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah in the new T20I jersey. With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, the team will play just 10 T20Is before the tournament.

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Suryakumar Yadav, leading India in the series, expressed excitement about the new kit and the challenge ahead. He said that the jersey’s two stars, representing two World Cup titles, now serve as motivation as the team aims for a third.

"The three strips are loud and clear, but yeah, two stars are already here, and are prepared for the third. I'm very excited to wear this jersey. I think it looks amazing.The fit is nice," said the Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav in the video.

New threads 💙
Same dream 🏆

Eyes on the T20I series opener ⭐️💪 #TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/0Ydytkx2bH

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2025

I've Always Been Very Fascinated All The Time - Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya shared his excitement about India’s newest T20I jersey, saying he has always enjoyed the moment of trying on a fresh kit. Pandya added that he hopes fans embrace the new look as well, creating a unified, electric atmosphere in stadiums.

"You know, I've always been very fascinated by all the time when we get a new jersey. I've been very fortunate enough all the time to try out with new jersey, and this time it's the same feeling," Pandya said.

"I would like to add one more star here in a couple of months. These little details are very exciting, and it looks refreshing. I hope everyone in the stadium turns up with the same thing so we can turn the whole stadium into the same jerseys."

BCCI Unveiled The New T20I Look In The Presence Of Former World Cup Winner Rohit Sharma

India’s newly designed T20I jersey was unveiled by Rohit Sharma during the mid-innings break of the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur. He was joined by Tilak Varma as BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and Adidas India’s Vijay Chauhan officially handed over the World Cup kits on stage.

The fresh design brings together modern performance features with a nostalgic nod to the 1990s, featuring updated patterns while keeping the classic neckline from the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning strip.

As India enter their final phase of preparation, the focus now shifts to shaping a squad capable of carrying the pressure of a home World Cup. With momentum from their Asia Cup win over Pakistan, India will look to defend their T20 title even without stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit, and Ravindra Jadeja.

Also read: Hardik Pandya called an irreplaceable player in Team India by ex-coach ahead of South Africa T20Is