The India vs South Africa ODI series is set to begin on November 30th. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squads for this three-match series soon. Shubman Gill was injured during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, and has been rested for the second Test. It is being reported that Shubman Gill needs some more rest, which is why he can miss the ODI series as well. Shreyas Iyer, the vice captain of India’s ODI team, also injured. Then who will be the captain in IND vs SA ODI series? The question remains.
Who will be the captain of Gill unable to play?
While the team includes veteran batsmen like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, a prominent name is currently emerging as a contender for the captaincy. This name is not Rishabh Pant, but wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul. Pant last played an ODI in 2024 and has not been part of the ODI team for some time.
According to latest updates, Rahul is likely to lead the Indian team in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa as India will be without their captain Shubman Gill.
India’s ODI captain Gill sustained the injury during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata and is currently undergoing further evaluation in Mumbai. Gill is not fully fit for the second Test and will travel to Mumbai for further evaluation. Shreyas Iyer, who was named his deputy for the ODI series that recently concluded in October, is also out due to injury. Iyer suffered the injury during the third ODI against Australia. In this situation, KL Rahul is a strong contender for the captaincy.
India will play the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on November 30, followed by the next two matches on December 3 and 6 in Raipur and Vizag respectively. In ODIs, KL Rahul has played 88 ODIs so far, he has scored 3092 runs at an average of 48.31 and a strike rate of 88.41, which includes seven centuries and 18 half-centuries.