Team India for IND vs SA T20 Series: After the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa, a five-match T20 series will be played, the first match of which will be played in Cuttack on December 9.

Team India has been announced for the 5-match T20 series against South Africa. Hardik Pandya, who was out due to injury during the Asia Cup, has returned to the team, but T20 team vice-captain Shubman Gill, who was injured in the Kolkata Test, is not fully fit at the moment, but still he has got a chance. The selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar has announced the team after a mutual meeting during the second ODI match in Raipur. Suryakumar Yadav has been retained as the captain of the team, under whose leadership the team has been performing brilliantly for the last one year. Some other changes have also been made for the T20 series played against Australia on their home soil.

Is Sanju Samson set to return to opening?

If Shubman Gill fails the fitness test, Sanju Samson will once again open the innings with Abhishek Sharma, who has an excellent record at this position. However, Sanju Samson doesn't seem to fit into head coach Gautam Gambhir's plans. This was evident during the recent Australia tour, when he was given a chance in only two out of five matches, including one where he was sent in at number three. Gambhir replaced Sanju with another wicketkeeper, Jitesh Sharma, for the remaining three matches.

Hardik has shown form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Hardik Pandya suffered an injury during the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE. He subsequently underwent ongoing rehabilitation. Now, after recovering from his injury, he has returned to the team. Hardik took the field for the first time in nearly 42 days on Tuesday (December 2). While he was a flop in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Vadodara against Punjab, he conceded 52 runs in four overs, but he displayed impressive form with the bat. Hardik played an innings of 77 runs, which included seven sixes. Hardik's return to form is a positive sign for Team India, as it has strengthened the team's middle order. Hardik's return has forced Nitish Kumar Reddy to leave the team.

T20 series matches will be played here

The T20 series between India and South Africa will begin in Cuttack on December 9th. The matches will then be played in New Chandigarh on December 11th, Dharamsala on December 14th, Lucknow on December 17th, and Ahmedabad on December 19th. The Indian cricket team, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, is currently the number one T20 team in the ICC rankings, while South Africa is ranked number five. This series is considered crucial in preparation for next year's T20 World Cup 2026.

This is the Indian team

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar

 PC:NBT