After losing the Test series but winning the ODI series against South Africa Team India will now take on the Proteas in a five-match T20I series. The first T20I will be held at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday (December 9) with the remaining games scheduled in Mullanpur (December 11) Dharamshala (December 14) Lucknow (December 17) and Ahmedabad (December 19). Suryakumar Yadav will lead India in the T20Is with Shubman Gill as his deputy while South Africa will play the series under the captaincy of Aiden Markram. Suryakumar has not lost a T20I series as India’s captain so far and he will aim to keep his unbeaten record after the South Africa series. Meanwhile the Proteas will be eager to achieve a double by winning both the Test and T20I series in India. On December 3 the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed Indias 15-player squad for the T20I series which includes several players who specialize in T20 cricket. Only five players from India’s ODI squad have been picked for the T20I series. Heres a full look at the changes in Team India for the T20I series against South Africa: OUT: KL Rahul who led India to a 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa has not been selected for the T20I squad. Rahul last played a T20I for India on November 10 2022 against England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal. Along with him Yashasvi Jaiswal (who scored an unbeaten 116 in the third ODI on December 6) all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy batter Ruturaj Gaikwad fast bowler Prasidh Krishna and wicketkeepers Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel were also left out. Additionally Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from T20Is and are no longer part of the squad having announced their retirement from the format in June 2024. IN: Shubman Gill returns to the team after missing the ODI series due to a neck injury and will serve as India’s vice-captain. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team and the squad also includes Hardik Pandya who has returned after being sidelined with an injury since September 26 2025. Jasprit Bumrah returns to the squad after being rested for the ODI series. The 32-year-old pacer from Ahmedabad will lead India’s fast-bowling attack in the T20I series. Along with the Mumbai Indians players Shivam Dube Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson Jitesh Sharma Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy are also included in the team again. Retained Players: Tilak Varma Washington Sundar Kuldeep Yadav Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh have kept their spots in the T20I squad. Out of these Sundar and Kuldeep also played in last month’s Test series. Indias T20I squad for the South Africa series: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain) Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain) Abhishek Sharma Tilak Varma Hardik Pandya Shivam Dube Axar Patel Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper) Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper) Jasprit Bumrah Varun Chakaravarthy Arshdeep Singh Kuldeep Yadav Harshit Rana Washington Sundar Indias ODI squad for the South Africa series: KL Rahul (Captain & Wicketkeeper) Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper) Rohit Sharma Yashasvi Jaiswal Virat Kohli Tilak Varma Washington Sundar Ravindra Jadeja Kuldeep Yadav Nitish Kumar Reddy Harshit Rana Ruturaj Gaikwad Prasidh Krishna Arshdeep Singh Dhruv Jurel