As Team India’s downfall in the Test series against South Africa continues, fans have already begun looking ahead to the three-match ODI series, starting on November 30. The BCCI announced the 15-member squad for the South African ODIs, with veteran KL Rahul set to lead the side.

Regular skipper Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the series as he continues to recover from a neck injury. While the focus in the ODI series will be back on India’s two stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Rahul’s appointment as captain has raised some eyebrows.

Despite the absence of other potential contenders like Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer, Rahul’s appointment as skipper could have been resisted for a variety of reasons.

Indian ODI squad for the South African series

Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (capt & wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel

Let us look at three key reasons why KL Rahul as the Indian captain for the upcoming South African ODIs is the wrong move.

#1 KL Rahul as ODI captain has been a mixed bag in the past

KL Rahul isn’t new to captaincy, having led the ODI side 12 times in his career. The 33-year-old endured a dismal start to his ODI captaincy, with India suffering a 0-3 whitewash in South Africa in 2022.

However, Rahul won his next six ODIs as captain, but four of those came against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. He also led the Men in Blue to a 2-1 series win in South Africa at the end of the 2023 season.

Overall, India has won eight out of their 12 ODIs under Rahul, but only half of their eight wins have been against the more dominant opponents. The veteran has led India in four matches of the other two formats, winning three and losing only one.

While that record is impressive, he has struggled with leadership in the IPL, winning only 31 out of 64 games.

#2 A potential step back by prioritizing safety over discovery

Team India could have utilized the absence of Shubman Gill and other senior members to throw the kitchen sink and try out a fresh option as captain for the South African series. With the ODI World Cup still two years away, a home series against a strong opposition could have been ideal for the hosts to try out one of their youngsters in a leadership role.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has already led the Indian T20I side to glory in the Men’s Asian Games in 2023. He has been captaining Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since last year and boasts similar experience at the other domestic levels.

Furthermore, India could have also gone left-field with Yashasvi Jaiswal or Tilak Varma, still in their early 20s, as a potential future option. Instead, by having a 33-year-old veteran, Rahul, back at the helm, India have gone the safer route over a more futuristic one, that could have reaped its rewards in years to come.

#3 India have more accomplished options in the squad

By handing KL Rahul the captaincy for the South African ODIs, India have clearly shown that the focus is solely on this series and not the future. In such a case, better readymade options were available in the selected squad over Rahul.

Team India could have had the accomplished Rohit Sharma lead the side for this one-off series. The 38-year-old boasts an incredible record as ODI captain, winning 42 out of 56 outings.

Incidentally, his last game as Indian captain was the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand, where the side achieved ICC glory for the second time under him. Virat Kohli was another option to lead the side, given his vast experience as the Indian ODI skipper.

The veteran has led India in 95 ODIs, with the side winning 65 and losing only 27 matches. Both Rohit and Kohli have more matches under their belt as ODI captains, with enviable records.

Thus, if the management decided to treat the South African series as a one-off affair and winning was the lone priority, one of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma could have easily led the side over KL Rahul.