Gill returns as vice-captain for South Africa T20Is after injury recovery

In a significant boost for India ahead of their T20 International series against South Africa, star batter Shubman Gill has returned to the squad as vice-captain after fully recovering from a neck injury. His comeback, confirmed by a senior BCCI source on Wednesday, brings stability and leadership back to a side preparing for an important five-match contest starting December 9 in Cuttack.

Gill, who currently leads India in Tests and ODIs, suffered the injury during the opening Test against South Africa in Kolkata. The setback forced him to miss the second Test in Guwahati and the entire ODI series that followed, raising concerns about his fitness ahead of the busy season. According to officials, Gill has now cleared all medical checks and will resume duties as T20I vice-captain, provided he remains fit during the lead-up to the series.

Pandya, who missed the Asia Cup 2025 final and the five-match series in Australia, also made a comeback in India's setup after proving his fitness on Tuesday during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Punjab in Hyderabad.

The selection committee finalised the T20I squad during a meeting held in Raipur on Wednesday. Suryakumar Yadav will continue as India’s regular T20I captain.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has dismissed reports suggesting that top officials are planning a mid-series meeting with senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir, over alleged dressing-room tension. Both Kohli, 37, and Rohit, 38, are currently active only in the ODI format, leading to ongoing speculation about their long-term future, particularly with the 2027 World Cup in sight. However, the board source stressed that no such meeting will take place during the ongoing tour, and any discussions on player roles will happen only after the series concludes.

India recently endured a disappointing 0–2 defeat in the Test series in South Africa, making the upcoming T20I fixtures crucial for regaining momentum.The five-match India–South Africa T20I series will start on December 9.

India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC)*, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar.