Ahead of the first T20I match in Cuttack, Team India’s skipper Suryakumar Yadav has opened up about the fitness of Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill, who have been out of action for weeks due to injury.
IND vs SA 1st T20I match will be played in Cuttack on December 9
Shubman Gill, Team India’s T20I skipper, has confirmed that Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill are fit for the match against South Africa in Cuttack on Tuesday, December 9. The 5-match T20I series is set to commence with a match in Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium. Gill, who has been out of action after the Kolkata Test last month due to neck spasms, is set to make his comeback in the upcoming series. On the other hand, Hardik was out of action after suffering a quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup 2025 in September. However, he returned to the cricketing field while playing for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).
In the pre-match press conference, SKY said, ”Right now, both of them look healthy and fit. They are in the team.”
”What you saw in the Asia Cup also, when he [Hardik] was bowling with the new ball, he opened up a lot of options, combinations for us with respect to the playing XI. That’s what he brings to the table. His experience, the way he has done well in all big games, all ICC events, and ACC events. I think that experience will count a lot and his presence will definitely give a good balance to the side,” he added.
Team India’s squad for T20I series vs South Africa
Suryakumar Yadav (C)
Shubman Gill (VC)
Jitesh Sharma (WK)
Sanju Samson (WK)
Abhishek Sharma
Tilak Varma
Hardik Pandya
Shivam Dube
Axar Patel
Jasprit Bumrah
Varun Chakaravarthy
Arshdeep Singh
Kuldeep Yadav
Harshit Rana
Washington Sundar
(With ANI inputs)
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