The Board of Control for Cricket in India finalized the women's squads for an all-format tour of South Africa scheduled December 9–30, 2026. Smriti Mandhana was appointed captain for the team across Test, ODI, and T20I formats, marking a shift from Harmanpreet Kaur's previous leadership. The tour comprises one Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is. Separate 15-member squads were announced for Tests and ODIs, and a 17-member squad for T20Is. Key players include Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh. Wicketkeeping duties are shared by Richa Ghosh and Yastika Bhatia in the longer formats, with G Kamalini added for T20Is. Younger players such as Niki Prasad, Anushka Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma, and Sneh Rana have also been included. The ODI series counts towards the ICC Women's Championship points system. The first match is a single Test in Gqeberha on December 9, 2026. The framing positions Harmanpreet Kaur as neutral and Smriti Mandhana as supportive.
