In the upcoming India-South Africa series set to kick off in Durban, the Men in Blue are gearing up for a challenging contest, especially in Test cricket. The T20 team has already landed in the city, marking the beginning of one of the most awaited series in recent times. Both sides have strategically rested key players for the white-ball leg, given their demanding roles in the recent World Cup, with a focus on the crucial Test series.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the T20 side for India in the absence of first-choice players during the white-ball leg, while KL Rahul takes charge for the ODIs. Similarly, South Africa has opted to rest prominent figures like Kagiso Rabada and Temba Bavuma for the white-ball leg. This move aligns with their strategy to explore young talents in the shorter formats, keeping an eye on the T20 World Cup in the upcoming year and the Champions Trophy in 2025.
For cricket enthusiasts eager to catch the action, here's a comprehensive schedule for the India tour of South Africa:
T20 Internationals:
- 1st T20I: December 10 - Kingsmead, Durban at 9:30 PM IST
- 2nd T20I: December 12 - St George's Park, Gqeberha at 9:30 PM IST
- 3rd T20I: December 14 - New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg at 9:30 PM IST
One Day Internationals (ODIs):
- 1st ODI: December 17 - New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg at 1:30 PM IST
- 2nd ODI: December 19 - St George's Park, Gqeberha at 4:30 PM IST
- 3rd ODI: December 21 - Boland Park, Paarl at 4:30 PM IST
Test Matches:
- 1st Test: December 26-30 - SuperSport Park, Centurion at 1:30 PM IST
- 2nd Test: January 3-7 - Newlands, Cape Town at 2 PM IST
In terms of squad composition, both teams have unveiled their lineups for the different formats:
T20 Squads:
- South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams
- India: 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, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Deepak Chahar
ODI Squads:
- South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Mihlali Mpongwana, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams
- India: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (C)(wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar
Test Squads:
- South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne
- India: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd. Shami*, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna
For fans looking forward to the live action, the South Africa tour will be telecasted on the Star Sports Network on TV, with live streaming available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. Mobile users can enjoy free access to all the matches on Hotstar.
