The India vs. South Africa (IND vs SA) 1st ODI is set to take place on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi at 1:30 PM local time. This match marks the beginning of a three-match ODI series following India's Test series defeat against South Africa.
The Return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
The series is particularly significant due to the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the ODI squad. Both players, having retired from T20Is and Test cricket, will now focus solely on the ODI format. Their experience and form will be crucial for India as they aim to regain momentum. Rohit Sharma is also nearing a milestone, needing 98 runs to reach 20,000 international runs. He would be the fourth Indian to achieve this feat, following Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid.
Team Updates and Predicted Playing XI
Shubman Gill is ruled out of the series due to a neck injury, and Shreyas Iyer is also on the sidelines. KL Rahul will captain the side in Gill's absence and also take on wicket-keeping duties.
India's predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad/Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul (C & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open alongside Rohit Sharma. The middle-order composition is uncertain, with a choice between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rishabh Pant for the No. 4 position. The team may also include Tilak Varma.
South Africa will miss Kagiso Rabada but will field a near full-strength squad. Temba Bavuma is set to return to ODIs after recovering from an injury.
South Africa’s predicted XI: Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, and Lungi Ngidi.
Live Streaming Details
The 1st ODI will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India. Live streaming will also be available on the JioHotstar App and website.
Pitch Report
The pitch in Ranchi is expected to offer some movement and bounce early on, favoring seam bowlers. Batting conditions should improve in the middle overs, with spinners potentially becoming influential later in the game. A total above 265 could be challenging to chase.
With the return of experienced players and a few opportunities for the younger members to prove themselves, India will be looking to start the series strong against a formidable South African side.
