Virat Kohli Arrives in Ranchi for India vs South Africa ODI Series as KL Rahul Leads

Cricket fans were thrilled as Virat Kohli arrived in Ranchi on Wednesday morning, creating a buzz around the upcoming India vs South Africa ODI series . The batting superstar was spotted coming out of the Ranchi airport after flying in from London to join the Indian cricket team for the three match 50 over series. With the first ODI set to take place at the JSCA International Stadium Complex on November 30, fans in Ranchi are excited to see Virat Kohli back in action as part of India’s ODI squad under the leadership of KL Rahul captain.

This visit to Ranchi is special because India last played an international match here in February 2024. That match was part of the home Test series against England, where India delivered a strong win under Rohit Sharma’s leadership. During that time, Virat Kohli was not included in the Indian cricket team due to the birth of his second child Akaay. With his return for the India vs South Africa ODI series, fans are eager to watch him contribute to the ODI squad again.

The experienced batter, who retired from T20Is in June 2024 and from Test cricket in May 2025, last appeared in an ODI for India on October 25, 2025. In that match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Virat Kohli played a crucial unbeaten 74. His partnership of 168 runs with Rohit Sharma helped the Indian cricket team chase down 237 runs and avoid a whitewash. His form and experience bring strength to the ODI squad ahead of the India vs South Africa ODI series, especially with the first match scheduled in Ranchi.

In this series, KL Rahul captain will lead India since Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer are unavailable due to injuries. This change in leadership is important for the India vs South Africa ODI series, as the Indian cricket team will rely on Rahul’s experience to guide the ODI squad. With Gill out, Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open the innings, and Tilak Varma will take the No. 4 spot in the lineup, adding fresh energy to the ODI squad.

The Indian cricket team will feature a balanced ODI squad for the India vs South Africa ODI series in Ranchi, Raipur and Visakhapatnam. Under KL Rahul captain, the squad includes senior stars like Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja along with exciting young players. Alongside Virat Kohli, India’s batting and bowling units look well prepared for the three match challenge against South Africa.

India’s ODI Squad for the South Africa Series:
Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul captain (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel.