By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa will tour India in an all-format tour in November and December this year, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed.
The series is set to be historic as Guwahati will host its maiden Test match. The series is slated to kickstart with the red-ball leg in New Delhi on 14th November, with Guwahati hosting the second Test from 22nd November.
India and South Africa will then battle it out in a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series in December, with the final taking place in Ahmedabad.
The all-format challenge against the Proteas will be the first since India’s tour of South Africa in December and January 2023-2024.
The two nations also faced off in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Final, where Rohit Sharma’s side took home the trophy.
The Itenary is as follows:
India vs South Africa
14-18 November: 1st Test, New Delhi
22-26 November: 2nd Test, Guwahati
30 November: 1st ODI, Ranchi
3 December: 2nd ODI, Raipur
6 December: 3rd ODI, Vizag
9 December: 1st T20I, Cuttack
11 December: 2nd T20I, New Chandigarh
14 December: 3rd T20I, Dharamsala
17 December: 4th T20I, Lucknow
19 December: 5th T20I, Ahmedabad.
Meanwhile Cricket South Africa (CSA) will have the task of finding a head coach to take over the Proteas’ white-ball teams following the shock resignation of Rob Walter.
Walter resigned two years into his four-year contract, citing “personal reasons” for his decision, having led the Proteas in 36 ODIs and 31 T20Is.
He made history by leading the senior men’s national team to their first-ever T20 World Cup final in 2024 while also reaching the semifinals of the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023.