India Women tour of South Africa 2026: dates, venues and squad changes
WicketPulse ·
India Women begin their December tour of South Africa with a Test on 9 December, followed by three ODIs and three T20Is. Smriti Mandhana leads all three squads announced on 9 November.
When are the matches?
The one-off Test runs from 9–12 December in Gqeberha. The ODIs follow on 16 December in Paarl, 19 December in Cape Town and 22 December in Bloemfontein. The T20Is are on 26 December in Benoni, then 29 and 30 December in Potchefstroom. These are the dates and venues in the ICC announcement; start times were not supplied in that report.
Which players are returning?
Jemimah Rodrigues returns after a hamstring injury suffered during the Hundred in August. Amanjot Kaur also returns from injury, in the T20I squad. Selection in a touring squad does not guarantee a place in the starting XI.
Who are the captains and wicketkeepers?
Mandhana captains every format. Deepti Sharma is vice-captain for the Test and ODIs; Shafali Verma takes that role for the T20Is. Richa Ghosh is named across the formats. Yastika Bhatia is the additional wicketkeeping option for the Test and ODIs, while G. Kamalini is included for the T20Is.
What differs between the squads?
Jintimani Kalita is selected for the Test and ODI legs. Renuka Singh Thakur is in the T20I group, and Shreyanka Patil is absent from that squad. Readers following a particular player should therefore check the squad for the relevant format rather than treat the tour as one unchanged team.
A useful planning distinction
The opening Test is scheduled across four dates, 9–12 December. The white-ball matches are separate fixtures across five venues. Before booking travel or setting an alarm, consult the official fixture page for the latest start time and venue notice; this guide does not assume a broadcast provider or a confirmed playing XI.