IND vs SA 2025: Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya return as India unveil T20I squad

The All India Men’s Senior Selection Committee has picked the Indian team’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa. The team will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, as the Men in Blue start their heavy preparations for the T20 World Cup in 2026.

Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya, both of whom had been away from international action, will mark their return to the squad after successfully recovering. Notably, Gill had been suffering from a neck spasm, which he faced during the recent Test against the Proteas in Kolkata. On the other hand, Hardik Pandya was away from the national side after he was hit by an injury during the side’s triumphant 2025 Asia Cup.

Hardik recently made headlines after his return to 20-over cricket with a game for Baroda in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2025, as the star all-rounder played a blazing knock in his team’s win. Gill’s participation in the series, however, is subject to the obtainment of the fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE).

Speaking of the other members in the Suryakumar Yadav-led side, the opening order features the dashing left-hand batter and currently the No. 1-ranked T20I batter Abhishek Sharma. Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar are the names apart from Pandya, who will be taking care of the all-rounders’ department. Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson are the wicketkeepers, while Tilak Varma is also in the mix.

Among the bowlers are Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to care of the pace department alongside Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav as the frontline spinners.

India squad for T20I series against SA

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar

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