India vs South Africa 2025 1st T20 Best Predicted Playing 11 for Both Teams
With Shubman Gill expected to miss, discover both teams’ confirmed best playing 11 for India vs South Africa 2025 1st T20.
After a 2-0 bashing at home by South Africa, Team India have made a solid comeback in the ODI series by winning the series 2-1. Of course, a whitewash in a Test series that too at home, will take ages to remove the stain, the RoKo dominant ODI series have at least saved some humiliation for the Indian team. The ODI series will be remembered for how Virat Kohli brought his vintage 2016 self with 2 centuries and a fifty in a 3-match series.
With ODIs now done and dusted, the momentum now shifts to the much-awaited T20I series, where India and South Africa will be up against each other for 5 matches. The last T20 series between India and South Africa saw Team India trashing South Africa 3-1 in their own den. It was a series dominated by Tilak Varma, who scored back-to-back centuries. It was also the series where Sanju Samson excelled as an opener.
But how things stand today, Sanju Samson is not only removed as the opener, but also seems to have been out of the side due to poor performance in the middle-order. Shubman Gill, who has been named as the Vice Captain of the T20I squad, has taken the role of the second opener. But since Shubman Gill has not recovered fully yet, we might just see the previous playing 11, where Samson played as an opener, and Tilak Varma at number 3.
Key Match Details
Tour Details: South Africa Tour of India 2025
Match Details: India vs South Africa 1st T20 International
Where: Cuttack
When: December 09, 2025, 7 pm IST
How the Cuttack pitch will behave will be difficult to predict as there haven’t been any T20Is at this venue for the last 3 years. In fact, the last T20I at this venue was against South Africa, which happened to be a low-scoring match. Heinrich Klaasen scored a staggering 81 off 46 balls to chase the 149 target in the 19th over. So, with pitch information not much available, what could be the likely playing 11 for India vs South Africa 2025 1st T20 International? Well, let’s find out in this article.
India vs South Africa 2025 Official T20 Squad for the Indian Team
Batters
- Shubman Gill
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Tilak Varma
WKs
- Jitesh Sharma
- Sanju Samson
All-rounders
- Abhishek Sharma
- Axar Patel
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Washington Sundar
Bowlers
- Arshdeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
The news may not be official, but Shubman Gill could be missing at least two T20Is as he is yet to fully recover from the injury. So, with Shubman Gill not there, and India not opting for a backup opener, it looks like Sanju Samson will finally be asked to open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma. This will be a welcome change as Sanju looks more competent as an opener, and has also done well in the past.
In the middle order, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma may shuffle their position at 3 and 4. Whereas Axar Patel should continue to play the role of a floater if wickets are lost early. The team can also think of sending Shivam Dube above Axar if spinners are in place. Overall, expect a flexible batting order in the lineup, with Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar playing the role of the finishers in the team.
In terms of the bowling lineup, Team India may continue with the same 3 pace and 4 spin combination as we had seen on Indian pitches. So, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube shall lead the pace department. Whereas the spin department shall be led by Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar. Overall, India can also opt for Arshdeep Singh as the third pacer in place of Kuldeep Yadav, if the pitch assists more pace.
India vs South Africa 2025 1st T20 Best Predicted Playing 11 for Indian Team
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Tilak Varma
- Axar Patel
- Shivam Dube
- Hardik Pandya
- Washington Sundar
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
India vs South Africa 2025 Official T20 Squad and Players List for SA
Batters
- Aiden Markram
- David Miller
- Dewald Brevis
- Reeza Hendricks
- Tristan Stubbs
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
All-rounders
- Corbin Bosch
- Donovan Ferreira
- George Linde
- Marco Jansen
Bowlers
- Anrich Nortje
- Keshav Maharaj
- Lungi Ngidi
- Lutho Simpala
- Ottneil Baartman
Talking about South Africa’s playing 11, Temba Bavuma will make way for Aiden Markram as the Captain of the side. The team should see the return of Reeza Hendricks, Tristan Stubbs, and David Miller in the batting department. Whereas in the bowling department, Anrich Nortje should be back in place of Baartman. Meanwhile, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch shall continue to be the first-choice All-rounders in the side.
India vs South Africa 2025 1st T20 Best Playing 11 for SA
- Aiden Markram
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Reeza Hendricks
- Tristan Stubbs
- David Miller
- Dewald Brevis
- Corbin Bosch
- Marco Jansen
- Anrich Nortje
- Lungi Ngidi
- Keshav Maharaj
So, that’s about the best predicted playing 11 for India vs South Africa 2025 1st T20 International for both teams. Overall, India are almost playing a near-strength squad – thus highlighting the importance of their focus on the T20 World Cup 2026. While South Africa also look stronger, India look much stronger, especially the bowling department with Kuldeep, Varun, and Bumrah being there.
