The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa, making four changes from the Australia series.
While the return of Rishabh Pant has dominated discussions, absence of several established players has sparked debate. Let’s have a look at three big names from Team India who haven’t been picked from IND vs SA ODIs.
Hardik Pandya Still Not Fit?
One of the biggest talking points is the continued absence of Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder suffered injury during 2025 Asia Cup, which ruled him out of Australia tour. Since then, he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Hardik was expected to return for South Africa ODIs, but his name is missing again. With BCCI offering no fitness update, it remains unclear whether he is still recovering or being rested as a long-term precaution. Several reports suggest that the board may prefer using Hardik primarily in T20Is to keep him fresh for the 2026 T20 World Cup, but clarity will come only when the T20I squad for this tour is announced.
Axar Patel & Mohammed Siraj: Rested or Dropped?
The exclusion of Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj has also surprised many. Axar was one of India’s best performers in Australia, picking up three wickets and scoring 75 runs, the second-highest after Rohit Sharma. His growing role as a spin-hitting middle-order batter makes his omission even more puzzling. Workload management could be a factor, but the BCCI has not confirmed this.
Siraj, meanwhile, had a tough outing in Australia. Although he no longer features in T20Is, he remains a key part of India’s Test setup. The selectors may have opted to try Prasidh Krishna in ODIs, especially with the next World Cup two years away.
Varun Chakaravarthy Out of Plans?
Varun Chakaravarthy, who excelled during the 2025 Champions Trophy on spin-heavy UAE pitches, has once again been overlooked. With conditions in South Africa not expected to aid spin, the selectors may view him as a conditions-based specialist rather than a regular squad member.
