Star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and premier spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel are not playing for India in the third T20I against South Africa, which is taking place at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. While speaking to Ravi Shastri after winning the toss and opting to field first, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed the news of Bumrah and Axar’s absence from the playing XI.
According to Surya, Axar missed out because he was not well, whereas Bumrah was not available for selection due to personal reasons.
“We have two forced changes. Axar Patel misses out because he is not well, and Bumrah misses out because he has some personal reasons back home, and Harshit Rana comes in, and Kuldeep Yadav comes in,” Surya
said.
As Axar’s replacement, birthday boy Kuldeep Yadav is included in India’s playing XI, and Delhi-based fast bowler Harshit Rana is playing in place of Bumrah.
Bumrah remained wicketless in the second T20I against South Africa, which was played in Mullanpur on December 11, but in the series opener at Barabati Stadium, he picked up two wickets.
No Samson!
Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was expected to replace Shubman Gill in India’s playing XI as an opener for the third T20I but the 31-year-old was ignored once again by the Indian team management. Gill, who scored 4 runs from two balls in the series opener and got out for a golden duck in the second T20I, has been retained in the playing XI.
3 changes for Proteas
Like India, South Africa have also made multiple changes to their playing XI for the third T20I. Tristan Stubbs, all-rounder Corbin Bosch and pacer Anrich Nortje are playing in place of Lutho Sipamla, David Miller and George Linde.
Playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy
South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (WK), Aiden Markram (C), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman
