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The India national cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team players list changes depending on the format, with different combinations selected for Test cricket, ODIs and T20Is. The two teams featured a strong mix of experienced international stars, established all-rounders, wicketkeepers and emerging players during South Africa’s 2025 tour of India.
India’s Test squad was led by Shubman Gill, while Temba Bavuma captained South Africa. In the ODI series, KL Rahul led India as wicketkeeper-captain, while Bavuma continued as South Africa’s captain. For the T20I series, Suryakumar Yadav led India and Aiden Markram captained South Africa. The different leadership groups reflected how selections were tailored to each format.
India vs South Africa Players Overview
India and South Africa had several players who appeared across multiple formats, but their squads were not identical. India’s Test group included Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, while the ODI and T20I squads brought in additional specialist players suited to shorter formats.
South Africa followed a similar approach. Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and other senior players featured prominently in the country’s limited-overs plans, while the Test side included specialist names such as Simon Harmer, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne and Corbin Bosch.
| Team | Test Captain | ODI Captain | T20I Captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | Shubman Gill | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav |
| South Africa | Temba Bavuma | Temba Bavuma | Aiden Markram |
India Test Players vs South Africa
India’s 15-member Test squad for the 2025 home series against South Africa was led by Shubman Gill, with Rishabh Pant named vice-captain. The squad contained a blend of young top-order batters, experienced all-rounders and a high-quality bowling attack.
The Indian Test squad included Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav and Akash Deep. Nitish Kumar Reddy was available for the second Test after initially being released to India A.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Shubman Gill (C) | Batter |
| Rishabh Pant (VC/WK) | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batter |
| KL Rahul | Batter/Wicketkeeper |
| Sai Sudharsan | Batter |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batter |
| Dhruv Jurel | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder |
| Washington Sundar | Bowling all-rounder |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Fast bowler |
| Axar Patel | Bowling all-rounder |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder |
| Mohammed Siraj | Fast bowler |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spin bowler |
| Akash Deep | Fast bowler |
South Africa Test Players vs India
South Africa’s Test squad featured a mixture of established international players and younger cricketers. Temba Bavuma was the captain, while Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi and Marco Jansen formed important parts of the playing group.
The bowling department included experienced spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, while Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch provided seam-bowling all-round options. The squad also had wicketkeeping choices in Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Temba Bavuma (C) | Batter |
| Aiden Markram | Batter |
| Ryan Rickelton | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Wiaan Mulder | All-rounder |
| Tony de Zorzi | Batter |
| Tristan Stubbs | Batter/Wicketkeeper |
| Kyle Verreynne | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Marco Jansen | Bowling all-rounder |
| Corbin Bosch | Bowling all-rounder |
| Simon Harmer | Spin bowler |
| Keshav Maharaj | Spin bowler |
| Dewald Brevis | Batter |
| Kagiso Rabada | Fast bowler |
| Senuran Muthusamy | All-rounder |
| Zubayr Hamza | Batter |
The playing XI for the first Test in Kolkata included Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj.
India ODI Players vs South Africa
India’s ODI squad for the 2025 South Africa series had a different leadership structure from the Test side. KL Rahul was captain and wicketkeeper, while established ODI stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were part of the squad.
The ODI group also included Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| KL Rahul (C/WK) | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Rohit Sharma | Batter |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batter |
| Virat Kohli | Batter |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | Batter |
| Tilak Varma | Batter |
| Rishabh Pant | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Dhruv Jurel | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spin bowler |
| Arshdeep Singh | Fast bowler |
| Prasidh Krishna | Fast bowler |
| Harshit Rana | Fast bowler |
In the first ODI at Ranchi, India selected Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna. India won that match by 17 runs, with Kohli scoring 135.
South Africa ODI Players vs India
South Africa’s ODI squad contained several familiar names from its Test setup alongside specialists for white-ball cricket. Temba Bavuma remained captain, while Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis and Matthew Breetzke provided batting depth.
The bowling and all-round options included Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger and Ottneil Baartman, with Lungi Ngidi also part of the squad.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Temba Bavuma (C) | Batter |
| Aiden Markram | Batter |
| Quinton de Kock | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Ryan Rickelton | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Matthew Breetzke | Batter |
| Tony de Zorzi | Batter |
| Dewald Brevis | Batter |
| Marco Jansen | Bowling all-rounder |
| Corbin Bosch | All-rounder |
| Keshav Maharaj | Spin bowler |
| Prenelan Subrayen | Bowling all-rounder |
| Nandre Burger | Fast bowler |
| Ottneil Baartman | Fast bowler |
| Lungi Ngidi | Fast bowler |
| Rubin Hermann | Wicketkeeper-batter |
The first ODI playing XI featured Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger and Ottneil Baartman.
India T20I Players vs South Africa
The T20I series brought another major change to India’s squad. Suryakumar Yadav was captain, while Shubman Gill was named vice-captain subject to fitness clearance. The squad focused heavily on explosive batting, versatile all-rounders and specialist T20 bowling.
India’s T20I group included Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar alongside Suryakumar and Gill.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Suryakumar Yadav (C) | Batter |
| Shubman Gill (VC) | Batter |
| Abhishek Sharma | Batting all-rounder |
| Tilak Varma | Batter |
| Hardik Pandya | All-rounder |
| Shivam Dube | All-rounder |
| Axar Patel | All-rounder |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Sanju Samson | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Fast bowler |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | Spin bowler |
| Arshdeep Singh | Fast bowler |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spin bowler |
| Harshit Rana | Fast bowler |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder |
South Africa T20I Players vs India
South Africa’s T20I squad was captained by Aiden Markram. The group included experienced limited-overs players such as Quinton de Kock, David Miller and Marco Jansen, alongside younger names including Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferreira.
The squad also contained Reeza Hendricks, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde, Ottneil Baartman, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and Kwena Maphaka.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Aiden Markram (C) | Batter |
| Quinton de Kock | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Reeza Hendricks | Batter |
| Dewald Brevis | Batter |
| David Miller | Batter |
| Tristan Stubbs | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Donovan Ferreira | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Marco Jansen | All-rounder |
| Corbin Bosch | All-rounder |
| George Linde | All-rounder |
| Keshav Maharaj | Spin bowler |
| Lungi Ngidi | Fast bowler |
| Anrich Nortje | Fast bowler |
| Ottneil Baartman | Fast bowler |
| Kwena Maphaka | Fast bowler |
India vs South Africa Key Players
Several players stood out because of their importance across formats. For India, Jasprit Bumrah remained a central fast-bowling option, while Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar offered balance through their all-round abilities. The batting group included established names such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODIs, alongside younger players including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Tilak Varma.
For South Africa, Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram were important leadership figures, while Marco Jansen provided value with both bat and ball. Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer supplied specialist spin options in Tests, while South Africa’s shorter-format groups had additional pace and power-hitting choices.
India vs South Africa Batting Players
India’s batting depth varied according to the format. The Test squad relied on top-order players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, while the ODI squad added the experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. T20 cricket brought in attacking options such as Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya.
South Africa similarly had several batting combinations. Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, David Miller and Dewald Brevis gave the team options across the three formats. The presence of wicketkeeper-batters such as Rickelton, de Kock and Tristan Stubbs added further flexibility.
India vs South Africa Bowling Players
India’s bowling group featured a mixture of high-quality pace and spin. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna provided pace options, while Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakaravarthy covered different spin roles depending on the format.
South Africa’s bowling resources included Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman in different squads. Their spin department featured Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, while all-rounders such as Jansen and Corbin Bosch provided additional seam-bowling depth.
India vs South Africa All-Rounders
All-rounders were an important part of both teams. India’s main options included Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, with their roles changing according to match conditions and format.
South Africa had Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy among its multi-skilled options. These players allowed South Africa to construct combinations with additional batting or bowling depth.
India vs South Africa Wicketkeepers
India had several wicketkeeping choices across the 2025 squads. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel were part of the Test or ODI groups, while Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma were selected for the T20I series.
South Africa also had multiple wicketkeeping options. Ryan Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne were included in the Test setup, while Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs, Matthew Breetzke and Donovan Ferreira offered options in limited-overs cricket.
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head Players
The India-South Africa rivalry features several players who have produced important performances in previous international meetings. From India’s side, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have been among the prominent names in the modern era. South Africa’s established group includes players such as Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Quinton de Kock.
The 2025 series demonstrated how quickly the player combinations can change between formats. The Test series used specialist red-ball squads, the ODI series brought back established white-ball names such as Kohli and Rohit, and the T20I series shifted toward players suited to the shortest format.
Recent India vs South Africa Players
The most recent completed multi-format tour between the sides in 2025 included two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. India won the first ODI in Ranchi by 17 runs, with Virat Kohli scoring 135, while the Test series and T20I series featured different player combinations.
The format-by-format changes are important when comparing the teams. A player appearing in the Test squad does not automatically mean he was part of the T20I or ODI playing XI. This is why a complete India-South Africa players list should always identify the format and series being discussed.
India vs South Africa Players Comparison
| Category | India | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Test captain | Shubman Gill | Temba Bavuma |
| ODI captain | KL Rahul | Temba Bavuma |
| T20I captain | Suryakumar Yadav | Aiden Markram |
| Major Test pace option | Jasprit Bumrah | Kagiso Rabada |
| Major spin options | Kuldeep Yadav, Jadeja, Axar | Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer |
| Major all-round options | Jadeja, Axar, Sundar, Hardik | Jansen, Mulder, Bosch |
| Wicketkeeping options | Pant, Rahul, Jurel, Samson, Jitesh | de Kock, Rickelton, Verreynne, Stubbs |
| Senior ODI batters | Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul | Bavuma, Markram, de Kock |
| T20I batting options | Suryakumar, Gill, Abhishek, Tilak, Hardik | Markram, de Kock, Miller, Brevis, Stubbs |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was India’s captain against South Africa in the 2025 Test series? Shubman Gill was India’s Test captain for the two-match home series against South Africa. Rishabh Pant was named vice-captain.
Who captained South Africa against India? Temba Bavuma captained South Africa in the Test and ODI setups, while Aiden Markram led the South African T20I squad.
Who were India’s main players in the Test series against South Africa? India’s Test group included Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, among others.
Who were the main South African players against India? The South African squads included prominent names such as Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock and Dewald Brevis, depending on the format.
Did India and South Africa use the same players in Tests, ODIs and T20Is? No. Both teams changed their squads according to the format. For example, India’s Test captain was Shubman Gill, its ODI captain was KL Rahul and its T20I captain was Suryakumar Yadav. South Africa used Temba Bavuma for Tests and ODIs and Aiden Markram for T20Is.
Conclusion
The India national cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team players list contains a wide range of international experience and specialist skills. India’s squads featured players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav, while South Africa relied on names including Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada across the different formats.
The biggest difference is that the player groups changed considerably between Tests, ODIs and T20Is. The Test teams were built around red-ball specialists, the ODI squads combined experienced 50-over players with emerging talent, and the T20I squads emphasized power hitting, flexible all-rounders and specialist short-format bowling.
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