Sports
India Make 3 Big Changes For 3rd ODI… Nitish Kumar Reddy Returns As Afghanistan Choose To Bat First
With the series already sealed, Team India experiments again in Chennai as Shubman Gill looks to test the chase under pressure.
India Ring In Fresh Faces For Final ODI Against Afghanistan
With the three-match ODI series already in the bag, Team India has made three key changes for the final clash against Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, spinner Harsh Dubey, and pacer Prasidh Krishna have all returned to the playing XI as India continues to experiment with combinations ahead of bigger assignments.
After winning the toss, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi opted to bat first on what looked like a dry and batting-friendly Chennai surface.
Gill Wanted To Bat Too, But Sees Bigger Test In Chase
India skipper Shubman Gill admitted he would also have preferred batting first but stressed that chasing big totals consistently remains an area the team wants to improve.
Speaking at the toss, Gill said the wicket looked excellent for batting, but the team’s focus now is on building confidence while chasing.
He highlighted that while India have dominated the series so far, the management wants to test the squad in situations they may face in future high-pressure tournaments.
That makes this dead rubber more than just a formality.
Nitish Kumar Reddy Gets Another Chance To Impress
One of the biggest talking points is the return of Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has been seen as one of India’s rising all-round talents.
His comeback offers him another opportunity to strengthen his case for a permanent spot, especially with India trying to build depth in the middle order and pace-bowling department.
Harsh Dubey and Prasidh Krishna also return as India rotates its bowling attack.
ALSO READ : Hardik Pandya’s Successor Found? India Coach Drops Big Hint, Names Rising Star for Crucial Role
Afghanistan Shuffle Their Line-Up Too
Afghanistan have also made major changes, bringing back experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai.
Captain Shahidi admitted the visitors have not played to their full potential in the first two matches and will be looking for stronger partnerships with the bat.
With the series lost, Afghanistan will aim to salvage pride and finish the tour on a high.
India’s Experiment Mode Continues
India have used this ODI series as a testing ground, especially with senior names like Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah unavailable.
This has opened doors for players like Ishan Kishan, who scored a brilliant century in the previous match, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who now gets another chance to prove himself.
As India look to complete a clean sweep, all eyes will be on how these fresh combinations perform under match conditions.
IND vs AFG – Playing XIs
India:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav
Afghanistan:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik
