Star all-rounder returns as India name 15-member squad for IND vs SA 2025 T20I series

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya marked his return to the mix as India named their 15-member squad for the South Africa T20I series. The Men in Blue are set to host the Proteas for a five-match T20I series beginning December 9.

Hardik was ruled out due to a left quadricep injury he sustained during India's last group stage match against Sri Lanka during the Asia Cup 2025. He missed the Australia tour following the same and is also not playing the ongoing ODI matches against the Proteas.

The all-rounder has recovered from his injury and was seen leading Baroda in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26. Shubman Gill has also been named in the 15-man squad. However, his availability will be subject to fitness. Gill was ruled out of the Test series against the Proteas after the first innings of the opening game due to a neck injury. He is not part of the ODI series either. Notably, Gill has been named vice-captain as well.

Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the side.

Below is the 15-man squad for the South Africa T20Is -

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

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India's schedule for T20I series against South Africa

The first T20I of the five-match series between the two teams will take place on Tuesday, December 9, in Cuttack. The next two matches will be played on Thursday, December 11, and Sunday, December 14, in New Chandigarh and Dharamsala, respectively.

Lucknow will host the fourth T20I on Wednesday, December 17, while the final match of the series will be played in Ahmedabad on Friday, December 19.

The last time South Africa played a T20I series in India was in 2022/23. It was a three-match series that the Men in Blue won 2-1. They will aim to assert their dominance once again at home, while the Proteas will want to win a T20I series in India, last having won in 2015/16.