The India national cricket team is set to face the South African national cricket team in a three-match ODI series starting on November 30 after the ongoing two-match Test series. However, the hosts will be without two of their biggest stars, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah.
Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah will reportedly be rested as India balance the players’ fitness and preparation ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at home and in Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will return in the ODI series after their sensational performance in Sydney.
India has prepared to rest Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah for South Africa ODI.
Talking about Hardik Pandya, the star Indian all-rounder is still recovering from the quadriceps injury he suffered during the Asia Cup 2025 in September.
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Keeping in mind the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the Indian team management decided to rest Pandya from the South Africa ODI to focus on the T20I format for the time being.
He had already been ruled out of the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan due to injury and the BCCI has decided that it is too risky for him to play ODI cricket so soon.
Hardik Pandya ready for SMAT fitness test before returning to T20I
Hardik will prove his fitness for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 before returning to the national team for the upcoming T20 series against South Africa and New Zealand.
It is being said that Pandya will turn his attention back to ODI cricket after IPL 2026, as the ICC World Cup 2027 is still two years away. It is noteworthy that India will also play three ODI matches against New Zealand.
PTI quoted a BCCI source as saying, “Hardik is currently recovering well from his quadriceps injury. He is doing his RTP (Return to Play) routine at the Center of Excellence. At the moment, coming back from the quadriceps injury, he needs to increase his workload and playing 50 overs straight would be risky. Till the T20 World Cup, the BCCI medical team and Hardik will focus on T20Is.”
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Jasprit Bumrah rested for South Africa ODI, return in T20 confirmed
At the same time, Jasprit Bumrah will also be rested from the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. With the main focus on the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the management is keen to manage Bumrah’s workload to keep him fit for the mega event.
The Indian fast bowler also missed the recent ODI series in Australia, and a PTI report claimed that he will also miss the upcoming ODIs against the Proteas team on home soil to manage his workload. Like Hardik Pandya, Bumrah will also return for the five-match T20 series against South Africa.
Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill doubtful to play in Proteas ODI
On the other hand, India’s ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer will also not play in the Proteas ODI matches at home as he is undergoing rehabilitation after undergoing medical procedure for a ruptured spleen in Sydney.
Apart from this, Indian captain Shubman Gill is also doubtful to play in the upcoming ODI series due to a neck injury. It is also uncertain whether Gill will lead the team in the second and final Test against South Africa starting on November 22 in Guwahati.