New Delhi: After sticking with the same playing XI for two matches India opted to utilize their bench strength in the third T20I against South Africa handing a debut to Ramandeep Singh at Supersport Park in Centurion on Wednesday (November 13). Minutes before the toss Hardik Pandya handed his debut cap to Ramandeep. The 27-year-old has become the 118th player to play T20I cricket for India. The all-rounder is also the 8th player to make his debut for the national team in the shortest format of the game in 2024. Ramandeep made a spectacular debut with a massive six over long-on on the first delivery replacing Rinku Singh who was dismissed by Andile Simelane. But his innings came to an end in the final over due to an unfortunate run-out. Indians to hit their first ball in international cricket for a six* Suryakumar Yadav Ramandeep Singh (Since 2001)pic.twitter.com/cwjYiw3a7L — Omkar Mankame (@Oam_16) November 13 2024 A true late bloomer Ramandeep Singh made his T20 debut for Punjab in 2017 but had to wait until 2019 for his List A debut and 2020 for his first-class appearance. Known for his power-hitting and ability to bowl at high pace he caught the eye during the 2022 IPL mega auction when Mumbai Indians (MI) secured him for Rs. 20 Lakhs. Ramandeep Singh featured in five matches for Mumbai Indians (MI) during the 2022 IPL season under Rohit Sharmas captaincy. He impressed with the ball taking six wickets while contributing 45 runs in just two innings with the bat. Ramandeep Singh after being released by Mumbai Indians (MI) following the 2023 season was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs. 20 Lakhs in the 2024 IPL auction. He became an unsung hero in KKRs IPL 2024 title-winning campaign scoring 125 runs in 14 matches at an exceptional strike rate of 201.61. Recognizing his pivotal role in their 2024 IPL title victory Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) retained Ramandeep Singh for Rs. 4 crore (as an uncapped player) ahead of the 2025 mega auction. He is one of six players retained by the defending champions alongside Rinku Singh Andre Russell Sunil Narine Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana. Ramandeep Singh was part of the India-A team in the 2024 Emerging Asia Cup where he impressed with both bat and ball. He scored 94 runs in three innings at an explosive strike rate of 191.83 and also contributed with the ball taking three wickets in four overs. Overall Ramandeep Singh has played 57 T20 matches scoring 544 runs at a striking rate of 170 while also taking 16 wickets. In addition to his impactful batting and bowling Ramandeep Singh is also regarded as one of the best fielders in world cricket with several stunning catches in recent months.