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NEW DELHI: KL Rahul has been named India’s captain for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting November 30 in Ranchi. Regular skipper Shubman Gill, who sustained a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, will miss the series, opening the door for Rahul to lead the side.

Rishabh Pant returns to the ODI squad and will serve as the vice-captain. His inclusion adds firepower and experience both behind the stumps and in the middle order, providing India with greater balance and flexibility.

Ruturaj Gaikwad returns

The squad features the much-awaited comeback of Ruturaj Gaikwad, who impressed with strong performances in domestic cricket and produced clinical innings for India A and South Africa A in recent weeks. Gaikwad’s aggressive yet composed approach at the top of the order is expected to complement the experience of the senior batters.

Veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also make a return to the ODI side. Earlier reports suggested that the BCCI had mandated their participation in domestic tournaments for selection, but the two did not feature in domestic matches this season.

Yashasvi Jaiswal might just get a chance to add to his lone one-day appearance in the upcoming series, while partnering former captain Rohit Sharma.

Jaiswal was a part of the ODI squad against Australia but did not get a chance to play as Gill opened with Rohit.

Their inclusion now brings experience and leadership to the squad, with all eyes on how they guide the younger players and anchor the batting lineup.

Other key returnees and misses

All-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar return to bolster the lower order, while Rishabh Pant is back as a wicketkeeper-batter option.

Young talents like Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Harshit Rana have also earned their call-ups. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested to keep him fresh for future assignments.

Another major missing name in the squad is Shreyas Iyer, who, after an injury in Australia that saw him visit the ICU, hasn't yet recovered. The middle-order batsman's absence will allow the likes of Tilak Varma and Dhruv Jurel a chance to shine.

With a unique leadership dynamic and a star-studded lineup, all eyes will be on how KL Rahul marshals his troops against a competitive South African unit.

India’s ODI Squad vs South Africa:

KL Rahul (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel.