IND vs SA | Rohit Sharma named ODI captain, replaces Ajinkya Rahane as Test vice-captain

The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) have announced an 18-member squad for the three-match Test series against South Africa, starting from December 26 in Centurion. The selection committee have also appointed Rohit Sharma as India's full-time ODI and T20I captain, while Virat Kohli will continue to lead the national side in the longest format of the game. Rohit has also been promoted as Kohli's deputy in Test cricket, and will replace Ajinkya Rahane as vice-captain.

Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Shubman Gill will miss India's upcoming tour of South Africa due to injuries sustained during the two-match Test series against New Zealand. Rahane, who was widely criticized for his poor run in Test cricket, has got another chance in India's squad for the red-ball series against South Africa. Hanuma Vihari, who was axed from the Test squad for the home series against New Zealand has been included in the 18-member squad. Shreyas Iyer and Mayank Agarwal, who displayed brilliant batting performance in the two-match Test series against the Black Caps earned their spot in India's Test squad for the South Africa tour. However, Suryakumar Yadav, has been dropped from the Test squad.

KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, who opted out of the home series against New Zealand has been named in the 18-member squad. Jayant Yadav, who impressed everyone with his exuberant bowling performance against New Zealand in the second innings of the Mumbai Test, retained his spot as the second frontline spinner in the announced Test squad.

India Test squad for South Africa tour: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed. Siraj.

Standby Players: Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.

The India tour of South Africa will start with the first Test match on December 16 in Centurion.