So, here comes a much-anticipated T20I debut for Ramandeep Singh. Indian cricket witnessed a new face on Wednesday as Ramandeep made his debut for the national team in the third T20I against South Africa in Johannesburg. The 27-year-old Punjab all-rounder replaced pacer Avesh Khan in the playing XI in what is a must-win clash.
Hardik Pandya hands debut cap to Ramandeep
Ramandeep’s inclusion comes as a reward for his consistent performances in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was a key player for the Kolkata Knight Riders during their title-winning campaign in the 2024 IPL, impressing with both bat and ball. The talented all-rounder boasts a strike rate of 167.83 in T20 cricket, showcasing his aggressive batting style. His ability to contribute with the ball, maintaining an economy rate of 7.76, adds further value to his game. As a result, he was amongst their IPL 2025 retentions too.
In place of Ramandeep, Avesh Khan has been dropped, who failed to get any wickets in the last game. Interestingly, both Yash Dayal and Vijaykumar Vyshak have remained uncapped thus far.
Team India Playing XI
Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy
South Africa Playing XI
Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lutho Sipamla
