IND vs SA ODI Series 2025: Full Schedule, Match Timings, Venues and Team Squads
India names KL Rahul captain for the ODI series as Gill and Iyer miss the tour.
India's white-ball resurgence begins with a three-match ODI series against South Africa starting Sunday, offering a timely reset after the recent 0-2 Test whitewash that exposed red-ball frailties under head coach Gautam Gambhir. With newly appointed captain Shubman Gill sidelined by a neck injury and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer out due to an abdomen issue, KL Rahul steps in as stand-in skipper, leading a revamped squad that welcomes back Rishabh Pant after his absence from the Australia tour. The series, hosted across three venues in eastern and central India, pits a transitional Indian side against a South African unit buoyed by their historic Test triumph, setting the stage for high-stakes limited-overs action.
The opener unfolds at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on December 1 at 1:30 PM IST, followed by the second ODI on December 4 at the Nirode Miller International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, also at 1:30 PM IST. The decider shifts to the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on December 7, maintaining the afternoon start time. These centrally located grounds, known for balanced pitches favoring both bat and ball, could test India's depth amid absences like rested pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, as well as omitted all-rounder Axar Patel, with inclusions like Tilak Varma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ruturaj Gaikwad adding versatility.
India's squad blends experience and youth: KL Rahul (c), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Dhruv Jurel. Rahul's leadership, honed from past captaincies, will be pivotal in harnessing Kohli's form and Jaiswal's promise, while Pant's return injects dynamism behind the stumps. South Africa, captained by Temba Bavuma and missing pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada due to a rib injury, fields Temba Bavuma (c), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, and Prenelan Subrayen.
Viewers can catch the live action on the Star Sports Network for television coverage, with digital streaming available exclusively on the JioCinema app and website for seamless mobile and web access. This series holds added intrigue as both teams eye momentum ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle, with India seeking to bury Test ghosts through aggressive 50-over play and South Africa aiming to extend their multi-format dominance.
For Indian fans still reeling from Guwahati's 408-run humiliation, the ODIs represent redemption under Rahul's composed guidance, potentially bridging the gap left by Gill and Iyer while integrating emerging talents like Nitish Kumar Reddy. South Africa's balanced attack, led by Jansen and Ngidi, will challenge India's middle order, but home advantage and Rahul's tactical acumen could tilt the scales in a series that promises fireworks under the December sun.
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