Suryakumar Yadav will miss the first round match after suffering a a sprain to his right thumb.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions next month.
These comments come after India recently announced their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead India in his first-ever ICC tournament as captain, with Axar Patel named as his deputy.
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Anil Kumble believes fans may have already seen the last of M S Dhoni behind the stumps, hinting that the Chennai Super Kings icon may not don the gloves in IPL 2026.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that head coach Gautam Gambhir has a firm grip on the team and is popular among the players.
'He just has to do what he does best -- which is to destroy opposition bowling.'
India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20, Guwahati: Abhishek blitz hands India series win
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav would want the attacking batter in him to front up and bolster his leadership against New Zealand when the five-match T20I series gets underway in Nagpur on Wednesday, serving as a final dress rehearsal for India's World Cup title defence in less than three weeks' time.
The former South African batter pointed out that Rana does not have a lot of international experience with the new ball, but is well supported in the pace department.
India all-rounder Axar Patel was on Monday ruled out of the remaining two T20 Internationals against South Africa due to illness with the BCCI's selection committee naming Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement.
Jitesh Sharma, who has emerged as India's preferred wicketkeeper-batter in T20 format with less than two months left for the World Cup, has played down his 'competition' with Sanju Samson in the squad, saying it only brings out his "A-game" to the fore, strengthening the side.
'Hearts are broken for sure. You've got to feel bad for Shubman Gill.'
'I prefer to have Sanju in the middle-order because he has a lot of shots.'
Sanju Samson's T20I future took another hit on Tuesday as India benched him yet again, favouring the finishing skills of Jitesh Sharma in a team that now appears fully committed to its Shubman Gill-led blueprint.
With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, India would want their captain Suryakumar Yadav to rediscover his rhythm sooner rather than later.
Ramesh didn't mince words when criticising the decision to send Harshit Rana ahead of Shivam Dube, arguing that the management must respect each player's primary role.
The indefatigable duo of Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj is expected to be the big talking point on Saturday when the selectors pick a 15-member Indian ODI squad for a three-match series against New Zealand starting January 11 in Vadodara.
Kerala will have a new captain in Mohammed Azharuddeen.
Shubman Gill has been guilty of taking too much load on himself since his T20 comeback and the Indian team wants him to bat as freely as he does in the IPL, said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
Out-of-form India vice-captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the last two T20I games against South Africa with a toe injury, sources close to the team told PTI.
Rajasthan Royals likely to trade Sanju Samson for CSK all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran
If starting with Jitesh Sharma in the last three T20s in Australia felt like an experiment, his selection over fellow wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson in the series opener against South Africa provided ample clarity over team management's thought process going in to the World Cup at home.
Images from the fifth T20 International between India and South Africa, in Ahmedabad, on Friday.
With India set to name their T20 World Cup 2026 squad on Saturday in Mumbai, the spotlight has firmly shifted to Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav, whose recent struggles have turned the selection meeting into a high-stakes call.
With the India and South Africa T20I series levelled 1-1, focus shifts to Gill's form ahead of the third T20 on Sunday in Dharamsala.
"We are only here for a short period....": Samson bids farewell to RR after trade to CSK
The lack of runs from captain Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill remains a talking point.
India Captain Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill once again flopped with the bat as India suffered a 51-run thrashing in the second T20 International against South Africa.
Vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra's exhilarating stroke-play was well complemented by Aaron George's composure as India set up an Under-19 Asia Cup summit date with arch-rivals Pakistan after crushing Sri Lanka by eight wickets in a rain-curtailed semi-final, in Dubai, on Friday.
For most IPL teams, the 2026 mini auction will be all about strategic buys and role-specific additions, while for a couple of others, it is going to be a captain-centric affair.
Shubman's T20I series participation against South Africa doubtful; Samson, Jaiswal contenders for the slot
Ravindra Jadeja agreed to return to the Rajasthan Royals, where he played the first two IPL seasons, taking a pay cut from Rs 18 crore to Rs 14 crore.
As Sanju Samson's IPL future remains to be a subject of intense debate, Rajasthan Royals are reportedly in advanced talks with Delhi Capitals for a swap deal involving South African Tristan Stubbs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad set to lead Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026
Cameron Green is shaping up as one of the hottest picks of the upcoming auction.
In the Super Four stage, the Men in Blue will take on Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
The 34-year-old mystery spinner rewrote the record books during the fifth and final T20I against South Africa at Ahmedabad on Friday, casting a spell of his bamboozling spin magic on the Proteas batters, four of them surrendering to his bowling.
The Asia Cup champions will not have it easy against the Mitch Marsh-led Aussies at home as the Indians were seen going hard in the nets on Monday.
Ishan Kishan's return to the Indian T20 setup is a story of timing, perseverance and a domestic season that selectors simply could not overlook.
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