India are moving closer to another Test series loss at home against South Africa, and in the middle of this pressure, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee announced the squad for the forthcoming ODI series. The three-match series will be played on November 30, December 3, and December 6 in Ranchi, Rajkot, and Visakhapatnam. This time around, though, the squad has managed to spring a few surprises. India usually has a fairly settled ODI group even when captains change. With both Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer ruled out because of injury, however, the selectors were forced to name a new-look team. KL Rahul was named captain, while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are there to add some experience to the batting unit. However, the selection has thrown up many unanswered questions. A number of picks have left fans, along with experts, wondering as one looks at the long-term options concerning the 2027 ODI World Cup. Also Read | Marco Jansen Creates History with a Feat Never Achieved by Any South African in Tests vs India 5 Selection Questions After India Announce ODI Squad vs SA Three Wicketkeepers but Samson One of the biggest talking points is the selection of three wicket-keepers - Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, and KL Rahul if required, while Sanju Samson once again did not find a place. Samson has scored 510 ODI runs at an average of 56.66 including a century in his last match at Perth, two years ago. Even then, Gautam Gambhir, then a commentator, said Samson deserved a long run. But two years have gone by and he hasn't played another ODI for India. Agarkar had said earlier that Samson had missed out as the top-order positions were filled. But this time, with both Gill and Shreyas not there, two top-order slots did come up. Yet, Samson wasn't chosen. That has left fans pretty miffed, especially since Dhruv Jurel has played only 10 List-A games with 189 runs. Jurel is unlikely to find a place even in the playing XI. His presence in the squad also means that he will miss the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he could prepare better for limited-overs cricket. Axar Patel Left Out Despite Strong Form Another surprising call was Axar Patel's omission. Among India's white-ball all-rounders, Axar and Hardik Pandya have been the most important in recent years. Axar has been promoted to No. 5 in ODIs and has played key knocks while also bowling his full 10 overs in most matches. In the Australia ODI series last month, Axar played two vital innings of 31 and 44 and picked up wickets. He rarely has a bad game, and with Hardik injured, his exclusion makes little sense. A report says Axar has been "rested", which feels a little strange, given that he has played so little cricket in the last two months. He played just one Test in the current home series and did not travel to England. If he needed rest, he could have been released earlier from the Test squad instead of carrying drinks. Lack of Clarity on Ravindra Jadeja? The ODI squad also sees the return of Ravindra Jadeja, who was excluded in the Australia series. If Jadeja was always in the 2027 World Cup plans, then why wasn't he taken to Australia? Axar and Jadeja played all matches in India's T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy wins. Both are core members of the Indian white-ball teams. So why are the selectors treating it like only one can play at a time? If Jadeja is part of the long-term scheme of things, he should be handled with clarity, not surprise call-ups. Also Read | Who is Senuran Muthusamy? Indian-Origin All-Rounder Hits Maiden Test Century Jasprit Bumrah Rested Again in ODIs Jasprit Bumrah, one of India's star pacers, has not played an ODI since the final of the 2023 World Cup. The selectors say he is being rested because of workload management. But this begs the question, why is Bumrah rested for a big ODI series against South Africa but made to play Test matches against West Indies at home? Facing a strong batting lineup like South Africa in ODIs would help both Bumrah and India; it would also help young pacers like Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna develop under his guidance. Resting him in key ODI series and playing him in less important Test matches feels confusing. What about Mohammed Shami? Another question is the absence of Mohammed Shami. Shami finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy in February. He was one of the best bowlers in the world in ODI cricket. Agarkar had earlier questioned his fitness, but Shami has played four of Bengal's five Ranji Trophy matches this season and bowled a lot of overs. He has taken 20 wickets, which shows he is match-fit. Leaving him out again does not sit well with fans who want India to play their best bowlers in big ODI series.