Durban, South Africa

While most white-ball-leg bound players landed in South Africa on Wednesday, star players, including Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill, are yet to join the team. Besides, seamer Deepak Chahar is also home due to personal issues, with reports suggesting his father is ill, and it remains unclear if Deepak will fly to South Africa or not.

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Jadeja and Gill – part of India’s 2023 World Cup squad, went on vacation following the CWC final on December 19. While Jadeja travelled to Europe to spend time with family, Gill flew to the UK to be away from cricket for some time.

Both are said to join the Indian Team in Durban – the venue for the first T20I on Sunday (Dec 10). Jadeja is the vice-captain for three T20Is.

Meanwhile, the fit-again Deepak Chahar has also stayed home owing to illness in the family, with BCCI keeping mum on his chances of joining the team in the Rainbow Nation.

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Though the sources close to the information reveal Deepak is likely to fly to South Africa sooner, the board has decided against naming any replacement in case the opposite happens.

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The source added that all three, alongside a member of the support staff, have BCCI’s permission to join India’s white-ball teams in South Africa a bit late.

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Besides, two selectors - SS Das and Salil Ankola, will also be with the team in South Africa to monitor performances, considering the packed schedule – including three T20Is, as many ODIs and two Tests, alongside three India A matches.

With the board picking three separate squads for all three formats, a few newcomers, some returnees and a handful of star players are named for the T20Is and ODIs. 

On the other hand, all top players, including regular captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravi Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah, alongside Mohammed Shami (whose selection is subject to fitness), will return to play the Test series, starting on Boxing Day in Centurion.

While top-batter in the shortest format, Suryakumar Yadav will captain the T20I side, keeper-batter KL Rahul will lead Team India in the ODIs. Rohit will be the captain in Tests.