New Delhi: Team Indias preparations for the upcoming three-match ODI series have suffered a major setback. Captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the series due to a neck injury forcing the team management to search for an interim captain. In this situation wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and veteran KL Rahul are emerging as strong contenders for the captaincy. Tough competition between Pant and Rahul for captaincy With Shubman Gill out the biggest question is who will captain the ODI series. Rishabh Pant currently leads the Test team while KL Rahul has successfully assumed the leadership role in white-ball cricket over the past few years. The selectors now face the challenge of choosing between Pants recent form and Rahuls experience. Gills injury remains a concern with the T20I series also in doubt Gill suffered a whiplash injury while batting during the Kolkata Test the severity of which appears to be increasing. He is undergoing several medical tests including an MRI and experts suggest he will require extended rest and rehabilitation. Consequently his chances of playing in the T20I series against South Africa appear slim. Opportunities for Yashasvi and Abhishek Sharma new fast-bowling combination Regarding the team combination Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open alongside Rohit Sharma while Abhishek Sharma could be included as a reserve opener. Harshit Rana Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh will handle the fast-bowling duties. Jasprit Bumrah will be rested after the back-to-back Test series. Changes in the spin department injury affects all-round team Kuldeep Yadav may be unavailable due to personal reasons while Hardik Pandya will focus solely on T20Is for the next few matches. In this scenario Axar Patel Washington Sundar and Varun Chakravarthy are fully prepared for the spin team in the ODI series. Story Highlights Shubman Gill ruled out of the three-match ODI series due to a serious neck injury. Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are the main contenders for the captaincy. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya will not play in the ODI series. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhishek Sharma are being discussed as opening options.