Team India faces a few selection dilemmas heading into the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi. Injuries to captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer have created two major holes in India's top four, leaving room for fringe players to enter. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have brought wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant and top-order batter Ruturaj Gaikwad back into the ODI setup for the three-match series. However, former India cricketer Parthiv Patel chose to leave out both from his predicted XI for the first ODI.

Instead, Parthiv selected Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the batting in Gill's place, and opted for T20I regular Tilak Varma to fill Iyer's shoes at No. 4.

If Tilak does play, it will be his first 50-over international game in nearly two years, having last played in December 2023 against the same opposition. Tilak has played four ODIs to date, slamming one half-century.

Jaiswal, on the other hand, has played only one ODI in his career so far.

Another surprise in the BCCI's squad selection was the omission of Axar Patel and the re-entry of Ravindra Jadeja for the ODI series. Parthiv decided to pick Jadeja in his playing XI, and then suggested that India can choose either Washington Sundar or Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Parthiv then selected Kuldeep Yadav, and went with three pacers in the form of Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna.

Parthiv's selection went against head coach Gautam Gambhir's usual strategy of playing multiple all-rounders, as the former wicket-keeper batter chose three frontline pacers and a frontline spinner with only two all-rounders.

KL Rahul is set to lead India in Gill's absence.
Parthiv Patel's India predicted XI for 1st ODI against South Africa: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (c/wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar/Nitish Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.