Rohit Sharma will lead Team India in the Test series in the upcoming tour of South Africa while KL Rahul will take over the captaincy reins during the ODI leg of the tour and Suryakumar Yadav will lead the T20I side. The selectors were keen on handing Rohit the reins of the T20I team as well for the South Africa series. But, Rohit, who was joining the meeting on a video call from England, said that he was keen on taking a break from the shorter formats. (An earlier version of this article had mentioned that Rohit was to lead the team in the T20Is). Rohit's decision is understandable, considering he led the team to the final of the recently-concluded World Cup at home. He will be leading the Indian Test team. With Hardik Pandya not available due to injury, the selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, decided to name Rohit as Indian team's T20 captain for the challenging series on the African continent. As this paper reported earlier, Virat Kohli has informed the BCCI that he wanted to take a break. India will play three T20 internationals and three ODIs, followed by two Test matches during the tour of South Africa. “He (Kohli) has informed the BCCI and selectors that he needs a break from white-ball cricket and he will get back to them about when he wants to play white ball cricket next. At the moment he has informed the BCCI that he will be playing red-ball cricket, which means he is available for selection for the two Test matches in South Africa,” a source said. Highlights from the team announcements Sanju Samson has been picked for the ODI team. Rajat Patidar, who recovered from injury, finds a place in Indian ODI squad. Shreyas Iyer makes his way back into the Test team. Meanwhile, there was no place for Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. The reason behind the Indian selection committee picking Iyer over Ajinkya Rahane in Tests is because Rahane had made way back in the Indian team after Iyer got injured. As Iyer has regained his fitness, the selection committee and Indian captain Rohit Sharma felt that Iyer should make a comeback in the Indian side. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin also made their way in the Indian Test team. Kuldeep Yadav has been picked for the Indian T20I team. India tour of South Africa schedule T20Is 1st T20I - December 10, 2023 at 9:30 PM IST in Kingsmead, Durban 2nd T20I - December 12, 2023 at 9:30 PM IST in St George's Park, Gqeberha 3rd T20I - December 14, 2023 at 9:30 PM IST in New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg ODIs 1st ODI - December 17, 2023 at 1:30 PM IST in New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 2nd ODI - December 19, 2023 at 4:30 PM IST in St George's Park, Gqeberha 3rd ODI - December 21, 2023 at 4:30 PM IST in Boland Park, Paarl Tests 1st Test - December 26-30, 2023 at 1:30 PM IST in SuperSport Park, Centurion 2nd Test - January 3-7, 2024 at 2:00 PM IST in Newlands, Cape Town
