India and South Africa kick off their three-match ODI series in Ranchi, with the first match set for November 30, 2025. India come in with a new-look side after a disappointing home Test series loss, with KL Rahul stepping in as captain in Shubman Gill’s absence.
Veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli lead the batting, while the bowling attack looks well-balanced. South Africa, missing Kagiso Rabada, will rely on Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, and Dewald Brevis to challenge the hosts.
Here's TSN's predictions, lineups, betting tips, odds, and live scorecard for the opener.
India vs South Africa: Who Will Win?
India are favourites to win the first ODI at home, thanks to their experienced batting line-up, recent form, and familiarity with local conditions. South Africa will challenge strongly, but India’s combination of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul gives them a clear edge.
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Head-to-head record: India vs South Africa in ODIs
India and South Africa have faced each other 94 times in ODIs. South Africa lead the rivalry with 51 wins, while India have won 40 matches and 3 matches ended in draws.
- Total matches: 94
- India wins: 40
- South Africa wins: 51
- Tied/No result: 3
India vs South Africa Form Guide & Predictions
India starts their ODI series against South Africa looking to reset after a disappointing 2–0 Test defeat at home. Their recent white-ball form has been mixed, with strong wins over Australia and New Zealand earlier in the year but a patchy run in the latest Australia tour, where they won two of the last three ODIs.
South Africa has better short-term momentum. They edged Pakistan 2–1 in Faisalabad and showed fight in their England tour, including a tight 5-run win at Lord’s. Their batting depth and pace attack look in rhythm heading into this series.
India – Last 5 ODIs
- India won by 9 wickets vs Australia (Sydney)
- Australia won by 2 wickets vs India (Adelaide)
- Australia won by 7 wickets vs India (Perth)
- India won by 4 wickets vs New Zealand (Dubai)
- India won by 4 wickets vs Australia (Dubai)
South Africa – Last 5 ODIs
- Pakistan won by 7 wickets vs South Africa (Faisalabad)
- South Africa won by 8 wickets vs Pakistan (Faisalabad)
- Pakistan won by 2 wickets vs South Africa (Faisalabad)
- England won by 342 runs vs South Africa (Southampton)
- South Africa won by 5 runs vs England (Lord’s)
AllSportsPeople Prediction for IND vs SA 1st ODI
- If India bat first: 270-315
- If South Africa bat first: 255-290
Expected Result: South Africa hold a narrow edge based on recent form and confidence, but India remain strong at home and can level the playing field if their top order fires early.
India vs South Africa lineups: Predicted XIs and team news
India Team News
India starts the ODI series with a reshuffled squad and a change in leadership. Shubman Gill has been ruled out with a neck injury, while Shreyas Iyer also misses out due to an abdominal issue, leading to KL Rahul being appointed stand-in captain.
Senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the ODI setup and are set to create history by becoming the Indian pair with the most international matches played together, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid’s record of 391.
The squad features several fresh inclusions compared to the Test group. Rohit, Kohli, Tilak Varma, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh all come in for the three ODIs starting November 30.
Meanwhile, Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep miss out, with Bumrah rested and Axar–Siraj omitted after modest ODI performances against Australia.
India (predicted playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
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South Africa Team News
South Africa is set to face India in the ODI series with encouraging history, having won 14 of their 32 ODIs on Indian soil. They also hold the highest ODI total in India, the iconic 438/4 at Wankhede. Temba Bavuma leads a well-balanced squad featuring Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram and Keshav Maharaj.
Young talents like Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi and wicketkeeper Rubin Hermann also retain their places after recent performances. The squad includes solid pace options such as Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi, along with all-round depth from Corbin Bosch and Prenelan Subrayen.
The major setback is the absence of Kagiso Rabada, who has been ruled out of the white-ball leg and the second Test due to a rib stress injury, leaving a big gap in South Africa’s pace attack. Despite the blow, their squad carries enough firepower with both experience and youth as they gear up to challenge India in their conditions.
South Africa (predicted playing XI): Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, Ottneil Baartman
Players to Watch – India vs South Africa 1st ODI
Rohit Sharma (India): The Indian veteran is in red-hot form, scoring 202 runs in the recent Australia series, including a century and a fifty. His experience and ability to anchor the innings make him India’s top threat.
Quinton de Kock (South Africa): The explosive South African opener has been in sensational form against Pakistan, amassing 239 runs in three innings. His aggressive starts can set the tone for the Proteas.
Nandre Burger (South Africa): While less prolific with the bat, Burger is a key bowling asset. His pace and ability to generate movement can trouble India’s top order, making him a potential match-winner with the ball.
India vs. South Africa odds & tips: Who has the edge?
According to Dafabet, India enter the first ODI as favourites despite losing the first match, priced at 1.38 compared to South Africa’s 3.00.
Odds* (click here to bet) | |
India | 1.38 |
South Africa | 3.00 |
*odds are correct at the time of publish
TSN’s Top 3 Predictions:
- India to win: India’s home advantage, experience, and in-form top order make them favourites to edge out South Africa in the opening clash.
- Rohit Sharma to score 50+: With his recent red-hot form and ability to anchor the innings, Rohit is likely to top-score for India.
- Quinton de Kock to score 40+: The South African opener has been in sensational form and could provide a strong start to give Proteas a competitive total.
IND vs. SA live scorecard: 1st ODI
To follow the action between India vs. South Africa live, you can make use of the live scorecard feature on Dafabet's website.
Navigate to the game of your choice and click the scorecard icon to follow along, and bet live with the action with a trusted Dafabet site.
Where to watch IND vs. SA 1st ODI in India
- Venue: JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
- Date & Time (IST): Sunday, November 30, 1:30 p.m
- Live Telecast & Streaming Details: JioHotstar
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