The first T20I match between Team India and South Africa is scheduled to be played on Tuesday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, with his wife Devisha, and Tilak Varma, were among those who visited the temple
Gautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav at Shri Jagannath Temple. (Pic: X)
Ahead of the first T20I match against South Africa, Team India players, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir, visited the Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri to seek blessings of the deity.
The first T20I match between Team India and South Africa is scheduled to be played on Tuesday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, with his wife Devisha, and Tilak Varma, were among those who visited the temple. They entered the temple amid tight security arrangements.
Indian cricketers, head coach Gautam Gambhir visit Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha ahead of 1st T20I vs South Africa
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) December 9, 2025
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/fbCG12Zn9r#ShriJagannathTemple #INDvsSAT20I #INDvsSA #GautamGambhir #SuryakumarYadav #TilakVarma pic.twitter.com/YzzoPkK4r4
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has also been included in India's squad for the shortest format series. Earlier, he sustained a neck injury during the first Test match, following which the right-hander was ruled out of the second Test game and the ODI series against the Proteas. The hosts will also have the likes of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
South Africa on the other hand welcomed back veteran David Miller as they field a full-strength squad for the series. Anrich Nortje is also returning, and several players will be using the series as an opportunity to showcase their skills ahead of the IPL auction on December 16.
The match will mark the first meeting of both the teams in the format since the T20 World Cup 2024 final. The T20I series will also serve as a preparatory contest for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Earlier, South Africa had registered a 2-0 whitewash against Team India in the Test series, whereas the "Men in Blue" clinched the ODI series by 2-1 against the visitors.
IND vs SA 1st T20I: Full Squads
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma(w), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock(w), Aiden Markram(c), Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Reeza Hendricks, Ottneil Baartman, Donovan Ferreira, Kwena Maphaka, George Linde.
(With ANI Inputs)
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