The Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa was announced today, and in a surprising turn, CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has earned a place in the sixteen-man group.
The call-up follows the injury setback to newly appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck issue during the first Test in Kolkata and was subsequently ruled out of both the remaining Test and the ODI series.
With Gill unavailable, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee handed the captaincy to KL Rahul. Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal were drafted in to fill the vacancies created by the injuries to Gill and Shreyas Iyer. The squad also features experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, adding depth to both batting and bowling.
Ruturaj Gaikwad in India A Series
Gaikwad enters the ODI squad on the back of an impressive run with India A. He finished the unofficial ODI series against South Africa A as the side’s most reliable performer, scoring 210 runs in three matches and taking home the Player of the Series award. His contributions included a well-crafted century, a composed half-century and another steady effort that gave India A strong starts throughout the series.
He opened with 117 from 129 balls in a tense chase, striking 12 boundaries and holding the innings together. He followed it with an unbeaten 68 off 83 deliveries in the second match, guiding the team home without trouble. His 25 in the final game was quieter, but by then his impact on the series was already decisive.
Across the three matches, Gaikwad averaged 105.0, thanks to remaining not out once. His strike rates in the first two innings stayed in the mid-80s to low-90s range, reflecting a measured approach rather than high-risk batting. His ability to rotate strike, build partnerships and pace an innings stood out across the series.
Full India Squad & Series Schedule
India’s ODI squad vs South Africa:
Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (C), Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel.
Series schedule:
- 1st ODI: November 30 – Ranchi
- 2nd ODI: December 3 – Raipur
- 3rd ODI: December 6 – Visakhapatnam
