Rohit Sharma to be reappointed as ODI captain as India squad for South Africa series to be announced on…
Published - 22 Nov 2025, 09:40 AM | Updated - 22 Nov 2025, 11:34 PM
Table of Contents
Rohit Sharma is all set to return as India's captain amid the busy season. Actually, India could see a big change in leadership again, as the squad for the upcoming ODI and T20I series is expected to be announced on Saturday (November 22).
The three ODI matches are scheduled to be held in Ranchi, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam on November 30, December 2, and December 6, respectively.
On the other hand, Cuttack, Mullanpur, Dharamshala, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad will host the five T20I matches on December 9, 11, 14, 17, and 19, respectively.
Rohit Sharma set for captaincy comeback for South Africa ODIs
Shubman Gill, who became India’s new ODI captain in October and led the team in Australia last month, is all set to miss the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa. Gill hurt his neck on Day 2 of the first Test against South Africa and has not recovered yet.
Additionally, India’s ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is also out. Iyer is also injured while fielding in the third ODI against Australia and is set to be rested for this entire Proteas series at home.
With both Gill and Iyer unavailable, the Indian selectors are set to turn back to Rohit Sharma to lead the three-match ODI series against South Africa, as per CricketNext News18. The squad is likely to be announced on Saturday.
India may turn to Rohit Sharma again after sacking him few months back
Notably, Rohit Sharma was removed from the ODI captaincy in October despite leading the Men in Blue to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in March. But injuries to Gill and Iyer are likely to force the selectors to hand Rohit Sharma the reins of the team for the South Africa series.
However, India has other options in KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya for the captaincy, so it will be interesting to see whether the selectors move back to Rohit. However, Pandya is also likely to miss the South Africa ODI to manage his recovery and workload.
Read Also: Joe Root injured in warm-up during Perth Ashes Test; panic in England camp
Shubman Gill’s neck injury forces major changes in India's white-ball squads
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill was ruled out of the ongoing second and final Test against South Africa in Guwahati due to a neck injury, and the team is unlikely to risk him in the ODI series. His availability looks doubtful, and the management wants to avoid making the injury worse.
In case Gill is ruled out, Yashasvi Jaiswal is set to take the Indian captain’s place, and Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to be added to the squad as a backup opener. Gaikwad has been in excellent form recently and impressed everyone in the unofficial ODIs for India A against South Africa A.
Gill might also miss the upcoming five-match T20I series against the Proteas side, and Jaiswal is likely to be named as his replacement in the squad. Interestingly, Jaiswal hasn’t played a T20I for India since July 2024. He was ignored by the selectors ever since Gill returned to the T20I side.
In Gill’s absence, Rishabh Pant is currently leading India in the final Test against the Proteas side in Guwahati. Pant becomes the second wicketkeeper to lead India in Tests after MS Dhoni, who led the side in 60 matches between 2008 and 2014.
About the Author
Rashmi Wasnik is a passionate content writer with over a decade of experience. She started her journ...
