The BCCI selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar on Thursday (November 30) announced Team India’s ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
India’s all-format tour of South Africa includes three ODIs and as many T20Is. The white-ball series will be played from December 10 to December 21.
Majority of the players who featured in the recently held ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup are not part of the ODI squad. KL Rahul will lead the 50-over side, also including Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh.
Suryakumar Yadav has been overlooked for the ODI series while Sanju Samson received a call-up alongside Rajat Patidar. Regular skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli have been given a break.
“Mr Rohit Sharma and Mr Virat Kohli had requested the Board for a break from the white-ball leg of the tour,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Ashwin has been left out of the team as the selectors named Akshar Patel in the ODI squad as spin all-rounder alongside Washington Sundar. Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav retained his place in the squad while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal received a call-up.
In the fast bowling department, the selectors picked Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar.
Talking about the T20I squad, Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the side in the absence of injured Hardik Pandya.
For the shortest format, the selectors kept their faith on the youngsters and included most of the players participating in the ongoing T20I series against Australia.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and Shreyas Iyer are part of the T20I squad as specialist batters. Ishan Kishan and Jitesh Sharma are the two wicketkeeper-batters in the line-up.
Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav are the two premier spinners in the side while Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar are the spinning all-rounders. Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Deepak Chahar are the fast bowlers in the squad.
India Squad for South Africa ODIs:
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (C)(wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Akshar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar.
India Squad for South Africa T20Is:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Deepak Chahar.
