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[Saba Sports News] Hardik Pandya, India’s star all-rounder, is likely to miss the upcoming South Africa tour due to a left ankle injury sustained during an ODI World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh on October 19 in Pune. India’s tour includes three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests, starting with a T20I in Durban on December 10. Reports indicate Pandya needs four more weeks for full recovery, aiming for a return in the T20I series against Afghanistan from January 11 to 17.
Additionally, there are talks within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about Rohit Sharma’s potential return to T20I captaincy for the series against South Africa. If Sharma agrees, he might lead in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Otherwise, Suryakumar Yadav, who is currently captaining India against Australia in T20Is, might continue as captain in South Africa.
The BCCI plans to announce the squads for the South Africa tour on November 30 and the Test team in December. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, is reportedly taking a break from white-ball cricket, ruling him out for the T20Is and ODIs against South Africa but likely returning for the Test series, starting with the Boxing Day Test in Centurion on December 26.