The Indian cricket team is all set to clash against South Africa in the upcoming three-match T20I series and 3-match Test series starting from September 15 with the shortest format game.
Team India recalled flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the limited-overs squad after a brief rest from the West Indies tour. In the bowling department, India decided to go with young pacers in the T20I series with Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar and Washington Sundar. While MS Dhoni break from cricket continues in the SA series with selectors backing Rishabh Pant as the future.
While in the Test squad, opener KL Rahul was dropped from the Indian Test squad for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, propelling senior batsman Rohit Sharma to the opener's role in red-ball cricket.
Rookie Punjab batsman Shubman Gill has been rewarded with a place in the Test side as a back-up floater, who can fit in both as an opener and a middle-order batsman.
India vs South Africa three-match T20I series full schedule:
First T20I:
Venue- Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala
Date and Timings- 15 September (Sunday) at 7 PM (IST)
Second T20I:
Venue- Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh
Date and Timings- 18 September (Wednesday) at 7 PM (IST)
Third T20I:
Venue- M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Date and Timings- 22 September (Sunday) at 7 PM (IST)
India vs South Africa three-match Test series schedule:
First Test:
Venue- ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam
Date and Timings- 2-6 October at 9:30 AM (IST)
Second Test:
Venue- Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Date and Timings- 10-14 October 9:30 AM (IST)
Third Test:
Venue- JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
Date and Timings- 19-23 October 9:30 AM (IST)
Squads:
India T20I Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini
South Africa T20I Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Rassie van der Dussen (vice-captain), Temba Bavuma, Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde.
India Test squad: Virat Kohli (C), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk),Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, M Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma
South Africa Test squad: Faf du Plessis(C), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second
