Shubman Gill Set to Return for T20I Series Against South Africa
Gautam Gambhir Confirms Gill's Readiness
Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, has announced that T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill is "ready to start" for the first T20I against South Africa, scheduled for December 9. Gill, who faced a neck injury during the first Test of the recent two-match series in Kolkata, has been included in the squad after missing the second Test and three ODIs due to this injury.
Gambhir's Comments on Gill's Fitness
During a post-match press conference, Gambhir stated, "Shubman is ready to start. That is why he has been selected. He is fit and eager to play."
Despite his successful performances in Tests and ODIs, Gill has struggled to replicate that form in T20Is, accumulating only 259 runs in 12 innings at an average of 28.77 and a strike rate exceeding 143, with a top score of 47. Notably, he has been dismissed for less than 20 runs on six occasions.
Team Updates: Suryakumar Yadav Takes Charge
Suryakumar Yadav will captain the Indian team, with all-rounder Hardik Pandya returning after missing the T20I series against Australia. This match will mark Pandya's first international T20I appearance since the Super Four match against Sri Lanka during the Asia Cup 2025 in September. He was absent from the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, which India won, and the subsequent Australia tour due to injury. Rinku Singh, who participated in the T20Is against Australia, has been omitted from the squad for the upcoming series against South Africa.
BCCI's Statement on Gill's Fitness
In a press release from the BCCI regarding the squad announcement, it was mentioned that Gill needed to secure fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (COE) to compete in the five-match T20I series against South Africa. Gambhir has now clarified Gill's status in the squad.
T20I Series Schedule Against South Africa
The first T20I of the five-match series will take place on December 9 in Cuttack. The second match is set for December 11 in Mullanpur, followed by the third T20I on December 14 in Dharamsala. The fourth match will be held on December 17 in Lucknow, and the series will conclude with the fifth T20I in Ahmedabad on December 19.
Previously, South Africa achieved a 2-0 victory over India in the two-match Test series, while India secured a 2-1 win in the ODI series.
India's T20I Squad for the Series
The Indian squad for the T20I series against South Africa includes: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar.