The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Sunday, November 23, 2025, that KL Rahul would captain India in the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa. This decision came after Shubman Gill was ruled out due to a neck injury sustained during the first Test match against South Africa.

In a statement released earlier today, KL Rahul addressed his appointment as captain, saying, "To be honest, it was just a day before the announcement that I was informed about the decision. I was preparing for the Test matches and wasn't expecting this, but I am happy to take on the responsibility" .

The ODI series is scheduled to begin on November 30, 2025, at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. The second ODI will be held on December 3 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, and the final match will take place on December 6 at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

Rahul acknowledged the unexpected nature of his captaincy, stating he was only informed a day before the official announcement. He had been focused on preparing for the Test matches and wasn't anticipating the leadership role. Despite the surprise, Rahul expressed his willingness to embrace the responsibility.

The squad includes seasoned players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom will be playing ODIs after retiring from T20 cricket following India's 2024 World Cup victory. They had earlier retired from test matches earlier in the year. The team also sees the return of Ravindra Jadeja to the ODI team, as well as wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Other players in the squad include Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Dhruv Jurel.

With Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer out due to injuries, the team will see some fresh faces getting opportunities. KL Rahul has confirmed that Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rishabh Pant will be in the playing XI against South Africa. Gaikwad's inclusion comes after an impressive performance for India A against South Africa A, where he scored 210 runs. Rahul lauded Gaikwad as a phenomenal player and expressed excitement about giving him an opportunity.

Rahul's captaincy is considered a short-term arrangement specifically for the South Africa series. While Rishabh Pant is the vice-captain in Tests, he was reportedly not considered for ODI captaincy due to having played only one ODI in the past year.