India squad for South Africa T20Is: BCCI’s ‘Rohit Sharma’ surprise as Hardik fit; Shubman Gill picked subject to fitness

IND squad for SA T20Is LIVE Updates: Ten, to be precise — five matches against South Africa and another five against New Zealand before the World Cup comes knocking on February 15.

Schedule and venues for the five T20Is:

1st T20I in Cuttack on December 9

2nd T20I in Mullanpur on December 11

3rd T20I in Dharamsala on December 14

4th T20I in Lucknow on December 17

5th T20I in Ahmedabad on December 19

IND squad for SA T20Is LIVE Updates: Several Indian players have lit up the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Hardik Pandya smashed a quickfire half-century, while Abhishek Sharma matched him with one of his own. Sarfaraz Khan, long ignored, marked his return with a sparkling century, and even Prithvi Shaw has chipped in with back-to-back fifties to his name.

IND squad for SA T20s LIVE Updates: There you have it! It's a suspense no more. Shubman Gill has been picked in India's T20I squad, the announcement for which is expected sometime during the mid-innings interval of the 2nd IND vs SA ODI.

IND squad for SA T20s LIVE Updates: After a total 148-run blitzkrieg for Punjab in the SMAT as he helped his team score 310, Abhishek Sharma has sent a message that he intends to bat like the number one T20I batter as long as he holds that particular ranking. He's a gamechanger and a gamewinner for India, and extremely dangerous once he gets going. All eyes on him and what he can do against South Africa's premium pace.

IND squad for SA T20s LIVE Updates: For India, a home or subcontinental T20I series has always meant going heavy on the spin, but that has especially been the case under Gautam Gambhir. You don't see that plan to be changed any time soon with the elite control the team offers.

IND squad for SA T20s LIVE Updates: Good news – Shubman Gill is likely set to be included in the squad after being given the go-ahead for the series, with the CoE saying he is ready for batting and fielding alike.

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: A BCCI review was set to take place amongst senior members in Raipur with the ODI match currently taking place there, but reports indicate that this is off the cards. Instead, focus will be on the squad announcement for the T20Is, with India's preparations for the World Cup stepping into full flow.

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: Axar Patel was dropped from the ODI team, with Washington Sundar getting the nod ahead of him for the ongoing matches. Axar has been a fan-favourite for the Indian team and the man for all hours in all formats – but will he be persisted with in the shortest format? Interesting to keep an eye on.

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: Reports on Shubman Gill's inclusion are up and down. Will the Indian T20I vice captain be fit in time? If not, will he be available only for a certain number of games?

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: India's go-to plan has been to stack their team with all-rounders to extend the batting, with the specialist bowlers being joined by a lot of quality spin in Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, and also in the pace, especially if Shivam Dube and either Hardik or Nitish Kumar Reddy can both bowl. Jasprit Bumrah will likely lead the seam attack – and might be the sole frontline seamer on some turn-friendly surfaces.

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma have been in and out of the team in terms of the participating as the wicketkeeper: Sanju Samson was moved down the order, didn't quite work out, and was replaced by Jitesh in the second half of the series in Australia. Jitesh then led India A in Qatar in November, and seems to have the faith of the team as a finisher. Both will be involved, but in what capacity?

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: Heading into this series, the major question is how much of a role Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill will play. Pandya has been out since the Asia Cup but is meant to be on his way back with this being in his rehab assignment, while Gill suffered a neck spasm and missed much of the Test series and the ODIs. Both players would give a big boost to the Indian team.

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: Nothing too shocking expected from this set of squad announcements. India's T20 team are a settled unit who have been producing results and trophies. Suryakumar Yadav will be in-charge once again, for a team that has made a habit out of winning.

India squad announcement for South Africa T20s LIVE Updates: India gear up for a 5 match T-20I set against the team they beat in the final of the 2024 World-Cup. Ahead of that series, India squad is fairly stable, but a couple of injury concerns are on the radar. With the squad announcement expected to be made by the BCCI today, here's a look at India's possible combinations.