India Will face South Africa in the first match of the five-match T20 series. This article provides details about the India vs South Africa playing 11 for the first match of the series.
Playing XI of India vs South Africa – 1st T20I, South Africa tour of India 2025:
Openers: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma
The Men in Blue will be looking to carry the winning momentum recorded in the third and final ODI against South Africa into the T20 series against the same opponent and deliver a strong performance with bat, ball and in the field.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led side will be aiming to maintain their strong record in T20I cricket over the last few years by getting the better of South Africa in the first of five T20 matches.
Although the home team has a settled core that has been playing together for less than a year, there are a few areas the team management will be concerned about, one of them being the position of the second opening batsman.
With clouds over vice-captain Shubman Gill’s participation in the upcoming match, the team management is expected to give a chance to Yashasvi Jaiswal along with Abhishek Sharma.
Jaiswal is coming into the series on the back of his maiden ODI century in the decider against South Africa and will be looking to make the most of his form at the right time.
On the other hand, Jaiswal’s opening partner Abhishek Sharma has also scored a lot of runs and he would like to add to it in the first T20.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper).
As far as India’s middle-order is concerned, it has been boosted by the return of fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who was not part of the squad for the T20 series against Australia.
Apart from the return of Pandya, the Indian middle-order is similar to what it was against Australia, with captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma batting at number three and number four respectively.
As has been the case in recent times, the Men in Blue are expected to go into the first T20I against South Africa with a deep batting lineup that will bat up to number eight.
Players like Shivam Dubey and Axar Patel provide depth to the team with their all-round skills, with wicketkeeper batsman Jitesh Sharma being the finisher.
Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
When it comes to the bowling resources that India has, it includes names like Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, who will take care of the fast bowling attack of the team and will be assisted by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dubey.
Akshar Patel will handle the spin bowling department of the home team, if needed, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Verma will also contribute in it.
Apart from Abhishek and Tilak, India will have six bowling options for the opening match of the T20 series against South Africa.
The inclusion of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dubey in the playing eleven gives Suryakumar Yadav the option to rotate his bowlers as per the situation of the game.
