Indian cricket fans received exciting news on Tuesday as batting superstar Virat Kohli touched down in Mumbai, marking his return to the country just days before the crucial ODI series against South Africa.
Kohli's Homecoming
The veteran batsman arrived at Mumbai airport in the afternoon, with enthusiastic fans quickly sharing pictures of his arrival on various social media platforms. Kohli had been spending time in London recently, following his usual preparation routine for home and away tours by training in England before joining the national team.
Virat Kohli last featured in international cricket during the ODI series against Australia in October, making his return particularly anticipated by cricket enthusiasts across the nation.
Series Schedule and Venues
The three-match ODI series against South Africa promises thrilling cricket action across different Indian cities. The first match is scheduled for November 30 in Ranchi, followed by the second encounter in Raipur on December 3rd. The series finale will take place in Visakhapatnam on December 6th, ensuring cricket fans from multiple regions get to witness the excitement live.
Team India Squad Announcement
In significant team news, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the Indian squad for the upcoming series on Sunday. KL Rahul has been appointed as the stand-in captain for the series, continuing his role as India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in the ODI format.
The squad selection brought some notable changes, with Ravindra Jadeja making his return to the ODI setup after being left out for the Australia series. Meanwhile, Axar Patel found himself excluded from the final squad list.
India's complete ODI squad includes:
- Rohit Sharma
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Virat Kohli
- Tilak Varma
- KL Rahul (Captain & Wicketkeeper)
- Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper)
- Washington Sundar
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Harshit Rana
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Prasidh Krishna
- Arshdeep Singh
- Dhruv Jurel
With Kohli's return and a balanced squad announcement, Indian cricket fans can look forward to an exciting contest between two competitive sides. The series comes at a crucial time as Team India continues to build momentum for future international assignments.
