India name 15-man squad for South Africa T20Is, Mayank Yadav out injured

The BCCI has announced a 15-man squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, for the T20I series against South Africa, blending experienced players with promising newcomers. In a big update, Mayank Yadav will miss the series due to an injury.

In Short

• Suryakumar will lead India in their four-match series in South Africa
• Mayank Yadav was ruled out injured for the series
• Ramandeep and Vijaykumar Vyshak recieved their maiden calls

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named its 15-man squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, for the four-match T20I series against South Africa, beginning November 8. India’s lineup offers a balance of seasoned players and fresh talent, combining the skills of experienced players like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Sanju Samson with rising stars such as Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, and debutants Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak.

India heads into the series on a high, having recently claimed a decisive victory over Bangladesh. This success has boosted the team’s confidence and allowed the BCCI selectors to experiment with promising newcomers. The likes of Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak have received their maiden call-up for the senior T20I side, after having impressed in domestic cricket, the Indian Premier League (IPL) and also for India A.

India vs South Africa, T20I series: Full squad

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Ramandeep Singh (maiden call-up) Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak (maiden call-up), Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal

Big misses for India ft Mayank and Dube

India’s South Africa series will see some key young talents missing, notably pace prospect Mayank Yadav. Recently recovering from a back injury sustained in the 2024 IPL, Yadav had returned to action during India’s Bangladesh series, where he impressed by picking up two wickets across two matches. His selection for the South Africa tour raised expectations as it was set to be his first overseas series representing India, giving the 22-year-old a chance to adapt to varied pitch conditions and high-pressure games.

India will also be without all-rounder Shivam Dube, who remains out of action due to a recurring back injury that caused him to miss the Bangladesh series as well. Dube’s absence is a significant setback, as his power-hitting and bowling versatility add depth to India’s lineup.

Another usual name who was not seen in the squad was that of Riyan Parag, who had impressed fairly with his all-round abilities against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Riyan was ruled out due to a chronic right-shoulder injury, and is currently under evaluation and recovery at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.