Team selector: Pick your India ODI XI to face South Africa

Team selector: Pick your India XI to face South Africa in the first ODI that kicks off on January 19.

After losing the Test series 2-1, India gear up to take on South Africa in a three-match ODI series that begins from Wednesday. The last time the two teams had met in an ODI series in South Africa, India defeated the hosts 5-1, and they will be eager to replicate the showing this time around.

This will be Virat Kohli’s first series after relinquishing the captaincy in all formats. Rohit Sharma, the new ODI skipper, however, is injured and will miss the upcoming series. KL Rahul has been named the stand-in skipper in his place, and he will make his white-ball captaincy debut in the first ODI. Jasprit Bumrah has been named the side’s vice-captain.

The Indian team face a number of selection headaches ahead of the first match. With Rahul confirming that he will open the batting, will the Indians go in with Ruturaj Gaikwad or Shikhar Dhawan alongside him at the top of the order? Is there a spot to accommodate both Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav in the XI, or will India prefer to groom a sixth bowling option, in Venkatesh Iyer?

India have two successful spinners in the squad as well: Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin. The duo have never played an international game together, and whether the management decides to go in with two spinners will be interesting to see. Question marks also remain over Mohammed Siraj’s fitness.

India ODI squad: KL Rahul (Capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Y Chahal, R Ashwin,J Yadav, J Bumrah (VC), Bhuvneshwar Kumar,Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, N Saini