India Hand Debuts to Kashvee Gautam, Anushka Sharma for South Africa T20Is

India have named a fresh-looking squad for their upcoming five-match T20I series in South Africa, with seam-bowling allrounder Kashvee Gautam and offspinning allrounder Anushka Sharma earning call-ups. Both players are yet to make their T20I debuts and could feature prominently during the tour in April.

Gautam, who has already represented India in one Test and six ODIs, is now set to complete her progression across formats. She was part of the recent Australia tour, where she featured in the longer formats, and her inclusion adds depth to India’s seam-bowling options alongside Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, and Kranti Gaud.

Anushka Sharma, 22, receives her maiden international call-up after a string of impressive performances in domestic and franchise cricket. She caught attention during the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season with Gujarat Giants, scoring 177 runs, including a high proportion of boundaries. Her performances earned her a place in the India A side for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, and she now stands on the brink of her senior debut.

The selectors have also made a few notable exclusions. Allrounder Amanjot Kaur, who struggled during the Australia tour, and left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma have both been left out. Youngster G Kamalini, who did not feature in the recent T20I series in Australia, has also been dropped. Wicketkeeper Uma Chetry has been included as backup to first-choice keeper Richa Ghosh.

India’s squad retains its experienced core, with Harmanpreet Kaur leading the side and Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain. The batting lineup also includes Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues, while Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, and Shreyanka Patil form the spin unit.

The series begins in Durban on April 17, with matches also scheduled in Johannesburg and Benoni, offering India a key opportunity to test their bench strength.