India head into the opening ODI in Ranchi looking to shift momentum after a heavy 2–0 defeat in the recently concluded Test series against South Africa. With the white ball leg beginning at the JSCA Stadium, the hosts will aim for a much stronger start.
KL Rahul leads the side in the absence of regular captain Shubman Gill, who has been ruled out of the ODI series. Gill also missed the second Test in Guwahati after sustaining an injury during the first Test in Kolkata. Vice captain Shreyas Iyer remains unavailable as well due to an injury suffered in the Australia series. India, however, gain significant strength with the return of senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both set to feature in their first ODI series since Australia. With the pair having retired from Test cricket and T20 internationals, the ODI format is now central to their plans leading up to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
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IND vs SA Pitch Report
The JSCA Stadium in Ranchi usually offers an ideal blend for both bowlers and batters, though conditions tilt slightly in favour of the batting side. The pitch provides good bounce and carry which assists the pacers early on, while spinners gradually come into play as the match progresses. Under lights, the spinners benefit from additional grip and turn, although chasing teams could find run scoring easier if dew becomes a factor at night.
IND vs SA Weather Report
Like several regions in India, Ranchi is expected to experience poor air quality. According to Accuweather, the morning temperature will be around 22 degrees. During the afternoon, which coincides with match time, temperatures rise to approximately 23 degrees with cloud cover predicted at 93 percent. The evening becomes noticeably colder with the temperature dropping to 15 degrees before falling further to 13 degrees late at night.
India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul (w and c), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav.
South Africa: Aiden Mark, Aiden of Kock, Burst, Corb Bosch, Corbin Bosch, Corbin Bosch, Book, Book. Subrayen
When & Where To Watch
The entire series will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in both HD and SD formats. Live streaming will be available on the JioCinema and Disney Plus Hotstar apps and their respective websites.
Schedule
First ODI on November 30 2025 at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi
Second ODI on December 3 2025 at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur
Third ODI on December 6 2025 at ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam
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