New Delhi, Nov 29 (NationPress) Former South African pace bowler Dale Steyn has selected a combined playing XI in anticipation of the inaugural ODI of a three-match series between India and South Africa, scheduled for Sunday at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. The legendary Proteas player noted that forming an XI from these two teams was a challenging endeavor, as both squads feature numerous exceptional players.

After recently concluding their two-match Test series, India and South Africa are set to clash in three ODIs, followed by a five-match T20I series leading up to the T20 World Cup 2026.

In a video posted by StarSports on X, Steyn revealed a sharp and competitive combined XI, stating, “If I had to merge the two teams, it’s a tough call, with so many fantastic players, and surely someone’s going to miss out. My picks would be Rohit Sharma to open with Quinton de Kock, followed by Virat Kohli at three, Tilak Varma at four, KL Rahul at five, Dewald Brevis at six, and then Ravindra Jadeja, Marco Jansen, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Lungi Ngidi.

Dale Steyn’s IND-SA Combined XI: Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul, Dewald Brevis, Ravindra Jadeja, Marco Jansen, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Lungi Ngidi.

Team India will see Rohit and Kohli back in action, but regular ODI skipper Shubman Gill will be sidelined for the series due to a neck injury sustained during the Kolkata Test. Consequently, Rahul has been appointed as captain and will lead the home side against Temba Bavuma’s

The visitors arrive with high morale after achieving a historic 2-0 Test series whitewash against India. However, the hosts are eager to prove their mettle in the white-ball format, especially with ongoing discussions about World Cup selections.