With India fresh off their Australia tour, Team India faces crucial decisions ahead of the three-format series against South Africa starting November 14 in Kolkata. The Men in Blue lost the ODI series 1-2 but bounced back to win the T20I series 2-1, with two games washed out. With Tests, ODIs and T20Is to be played at home, team balance, player form and tactical clarity are all under the microscope. India vs South Africa 2025: 5 burning questions for Team India 1. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s form in ODIs Rohit was the standout Player of the Series in Australia, while Kohli endured back-to-back ducks before a half-century in the final ODI. Both stars are under scrutiny ahead of a busy home schedule and the 2027 ODI World Cup build-up. Their ability to regain rhythm and dominate South Africa will set the tone for India’s white-ball campaign. 2. Shubman Gill’s role in T20Is Gill’s strike rate remains under the microscope, with Abhishek Sharma often outshining him in the shortest format. Yet in the final T20I against Australia, Gill displayed his class, reminding fans why he is regarded as a future all-format captain, already leading in Tests and ODIs. 3. Captain fantastic but what about Suryakumar Yadav the batter? Captain Suryakumar Yadav has gone 18 T20I innings without a fifty. Scores of 21, 4, 1, 0, 12, 14, 0, 2, 7*, 47*, 0, 5, 12, 1, 39*, 1, 24, 20 highlight the struggle for consistency. Can India rely on him to provide match-winning innings against South Africa, or will the pressure of leading the middle order finally demand tactical adjustments? 4. Jurel or Pant- The wicketkeeper dilemma Rishabh Pant is back from injury, but Dhruv Jurel has been in red-hot form. Jurel’s century against West Indies, followed by that against South Africa A for India A shows he is ready for the spotlight, while Pant has recovered fitness and boasts experience across formats. Selectors must weigh recent form against experience. Will India back the veteran keeper, or stick with the in-form youngster, especially with three Tests to begin the series? Or is there a scope to field the both of them? 5. Role of Nitish Kumar Reddy in home Tests Nitish Kumar Reddy’s all-round abilities are on display, but his bowling may not be needed in spin-friendly Indian conditions. India could instead field a specialist batter to strengthen the middle order. The question is whether Reddy’s presence adds balance or if deploying a specialist batter gives the team a sharper edge in Tests against a strong Proteas batting line-up. Will selectors continue to back him in T20Is or will consistent form determine opportunities? Post navigation ‘Grateful for all the love and care’:Shreyas Iyer shares pics from the beach after life-threatening injury; says – ‘The Sun’s been great therapy’ South Africa haven’t won a Test in India for 15-years:Spin all-rounders to pose major threat again, read 6 key factors that could decide the series
