Team India is gearing up for the opening ODI of the three-match series against South Africa, set to take place on Sunday, November 30, at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. With Shubman Gill unavailable for the series, KL Rahul will lead the side, which includes senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
In Gill’s absence, India is expected to choose between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad as Rohit Sharma’s opening partner. Jaiswal, who has played just one ODI for India so far, appears to have the edge for the first match despite limited opportunities during the Australia tour.
Who Takes the No.4 Spot — Pant or Tilak?
Virat Kohli, who had a mixed run in the recent Australia ODI series—registering two ducks before bouncing back with an unbeaten half-century in Sydney—will continue to bat at his regular No.3 position.
The biggest selection dilemma for India comes at No.4, with both Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma being strong contenders. Neither player has featured in an ODI in 2025, and with KL Rahul taking up the wicketkeeping role, the management may opt for left-hander Tilak Varma as a specialist batter. Tilak also recently captained India A in the unofficial ODI series against South Africa A, boosting his chances.
India May Go Ahead With Three All-Rounders
Rahul is expected to slot in at No.5, followed by a trio of all-rounders—Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The spin attack will likely be anchored by Kuldeep Yadav, who played only one ODI in Australia but remains a frontline option for this series.
In the pace department, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh are the frontrunners to share the new ball. Although Prasidh Krishna is also part of the 15-member squad, he is unlikely to be preferred ahead of Rana and Arshdeep for the opening encounter.
India’s Predicted Playing XI for 1st ODI vs South Africa
Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (C & WK), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh.