The Chetan Sharma-led selection panel handed maiden ODI call-ups to Rajat Patidar and Mukesh Kumar for the three-match ODI series against South Africa. Shikhar Dhawan will lead the team against the Proteas while Shreyas Iyer has been named as his deputy.

Patidar had impressed while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2022. The right-hander scored 333 runs in seven innings at an average of 55.50. He also scored a magnificent knock of unbeaten 112 runs against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator contest.

Patidar continued his form in the domestic circuit as he scored 122 runs in the first innings of the Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai to help his team win their first title. The Madhya Pradesh batter scored 176 runs in the first unofficial Test match against New Zealand A and then went on to score 109 runs in the third game.

On the other hand, Mukesh Kumar took a five-wicket haul in the first game against New Zealand A in Bengaluru and took a total of nine wickets at an average of 21.78 to finish as the joint highest wicket-taker in the series.

Meanwhile, Shahbaz Ahmed, who had received his maiden ODI call-up against Zimbabwe retains his place in the squad. Rahul Tripathi is also included in the squad despite ordinary performances against New Zealand A.

The ODI series will begin on Thursday in Lucknow. The second ODI will be in Ranchi on Sunday while the third ODI will be played in Delhi on 11th October.

India’s ODI squad: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubhman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Rajat Patidar, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Mohammad Siraj, Deepak Chahar.