K L Rahul to lead in ODIs against South Africa as injured Rohit Sharma is ruled out

Mumbai, December 31, 2021

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced that batsman K L Rahul would lead the Indian team in the one-day internationals (ODIs) against South Africa in the absence of the injured Rohit Sharma, who has been ruled out of the series.

The Board also named an 18-member side for the series.

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named KL Rahul as Captain for the ODI series as Rohit Sharma is ruled out owing to an injury," the BCCI said on Twitter.

Sharma, 34, had been appointed capitain of the ODI team on December 8, replacing Virat Kohli, who had stepped down from the captaincy of the T20 team earlier.

Sharma, however, had to miss the three-Test series against South Africa and Rahul was made vice-captain in his place of the Test side led by Kohli. Sharma is now undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be Rahul's deputy in the ODI team. Ruturaj Gaekwad and Venkatesh Iyer are among the new faces in the side.

Following is the ODI team:

KL Rahul (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicket-keeper), Y Chahal, R Ashwin, W Sundar, J Bumrah (Vice-Captain), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj.

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