Smriti Mandhana will lead India across all three formats during the upcoming tour of South Africa in December, with Jemimah Rodrigues returning to the squad after recovering from injury.
India have announced their squads for the upcoming multi format tour of South Africa, which will feature a one off Test, three ODIs and three T20Is in December. Smriti Mandhana has been named captain across all three formats as India prepare for their second visit to the African nation this year.
The biggest news from the squad announcement is the return of Jemimah Rodrigues, who missed India’s recent assignments after suffering a hamstring injury during her appearance in The Hundred in August. She is included in all three squads for the South Africa tour.
Deepti Sharma has been appointed vice captain for the Test and ODI squads, while Shafali Verma will serve as Mandhana’s deputy in the T20I format.
India Women’s Squad for South Africa Tour 2026
India have selected separate squads for the Test, ODI and T20I legs of the tour. Several players feature across all three formats, while a few selections have been made specifically for the shorter formats.
India Test Squad
Source: Cric Sports
Smriti Mandhana (c), Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma (vc), Sree Charani, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Jintimani Kalita, Sayali Satghare.
India ODI Squad
Smriti Mandhana (c), Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma (vc), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Jintimani Kalita, Sayali Satghare.
India T20I Squad
Smriti Mandhana (c), Shafali Verma (vc), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Niki Prasad, Richa Ghosh, G. Kamalini, Anushka Sharma, Deepti Sharma, Sree Charani, Prema Rawat, Amanjot Kaur, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare.
Jemimah Rodrigues Returns, Several Players Get Opportunities
Source: NDTV Sports
Jemimah Rodrigues’ return is one of the major highlights of India’s selection. The batter had sustained a hamstring injury while playing in The Hundred in August and subsequently missed the Asia Cup and the Asian Games. Her inclusion strengthens India’s batting options across all three formats.
Jintimani Kalita has earned a place in the Test and ODI squads after recently making her international debut against Zimbabwe. Nandni Sharma has been selected for all three formats, while Renuka Singh Thakur is included only in the T20I squad.
Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh features in all three squads. Yastika Bhatia has been selected for the Test and ODI teams, while G. Kamalini is part of the T20I squad.
Amanjot Kaur has also returned to the T20I setup after recovering from injury. Shreyanka Patil, meanwhile, does not feature in the announced squads.
India Women vs South Africa Women: Full Tour Schedule
The tour will begin with a four day Test match in Gqeberha before moving to the three match ODI series. The T20I leg will follow towards the end of December, with the final two matches scheduled in Potchefstroom.
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Only Test | 9 to 12 December 2026 | Gqeberha |
| 1st ODI | 16 December 2026 | Paarl |
| 2nd ODI | 19 December 2026 | Cape Town |
| 3rd ODI | 22 December 2026 | Bloemfontein |
| 1st T20I | 26 December 2026 | Benoni |
| 2nd T20I | 29 December 2026 | Potchefstroom |
| 3rd T20I | 30 December 2026 | Potchefstroom |
The seven match schedule will give both teams an opportunity to compete across all three formats, with the Test and ODI matches forming part of India’s December international commitments.
India Return to South Africa After April T20I Series
This will be India’s second tour of South Africa in 2026. The team previously visited the country in April as part of its preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
India played a five match T20I series against South Africa during that visit but lost the series 1-4. The upcoming December tour will provide another opportunity for the Indian team to compete against the Proteas, this time across Test, ODI and T20I cricket.
With Mandhana leading the side in every format and Rodrigues returning to the squad, India will look to put together a strong performance during the multi format assignment.
