New Delhi: Senior batter KL Rahul was on Sunday named India’s captain for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, while veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja returned to white-ball set-up after an eight-month hiatus.
Rahul was handed the reins of the team after regular skipper Shubman Gill was ruled out of the series due to a neck injury that he sustained during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata.
Rahul has been given the captaincy with the short-term goal of the South Africa series in mind.
“Rahul’s captaincy is one off and should be seen in isolation. Rishabh (Pant) wasn’t considered as he has played only one ODI game in the last one year. The selectors expect that Shubman Gill’s neck injury will heal and he will be back against New Zealand (3 ODIs in January 2026),” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity
The series will begin on November 30 in Ranchi followed by matches in Raipur (December 3) and Visakhapatnam (December 6).
Jadeja, whose last ODI appearance came against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai earlier in March, returned to the mix, primarily because left-arm spin all-rounder Axar Patel has been rested for this series. agencies
The 31-year-old was also a part of the four-pronged spin attack that India fielded against South Africa in the Eden Gardens Test along with Keep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Jadeja.
Both Kuldeep and Sundar have been included in the one-day squad. Siraj was also given rest.