With India already sealing the 3-match ODI series against Australia with an unassailable 2-0 lead, the third ODI in Rajkot becomes only a formality. And India Cricket Team is taking it literally. Team India are left with just 13 players. And in case of any niggle during the match, Rohit Sharma & Co might have to call in local players to as substitute fielders during IND vs AUS 3rd ODI.
Saurashtra players Dharmendra Jadeja, Prerak Mankad, Vishwaraj Jadeja and Harvik Desai were added to the squad to support Team India with drinks and fielding in the 3rd ODI.
India captain Rohit Sharma, who is returning after a break in the first two ODIs, confirmed that he only has 13 players to select from.
“We have got lot of players who are sick, unavailable, some have gone home for personal reasons and some are rested. So 13 players are available,” Rohit Sharma said during pre-match press conference in Rajkot on Tuesday.
IND vs AUS 3rd ODI: Rest Galore
With World Cup prime focus, BCCI has released Shubman Gill and Shardul Thakur from the squad. They will now rejoin in Guwahati ahead of the warm-up match on Sep 30 against England.
While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return along with Kuldeep Yadav, there will be no Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder has not joined the team.
Furthermore, Mohammad Shami has also been given a break. To make things worse, India’s Asian Games bound players have also been released barring Washington Sundar.
“Gill, Hardik, Shami aren’t playing. Axar is unavailable for this game. We have got 13 players to choose from, so there’s a lot of uncertainty in the team,” Rohit Sharma said.
No net bowlers
As things stand, Team India will have to rely on their main bowlers besides local ones for IND vs AUS 3rd ODI as net bowlers. With all additional players released, the lean Team India will be forced to rely on support staff or even local players to chip in as substitute fielders if there are more than two players suffer injuries or niggles during India vs Australia Rajkot ODI.
There is also uncertainty over Mukesh Kumar. The Bengal pacer was called up to fill in for Jasprit Bumrah in the 2nd ODI. The Asian Games squad leaves for China on Tuesday and as he is also in the squad, India could be further depleted.
“There is a bit of viral going around in the team as well. So, there is a lot of uncertainty in the team at this point in time which we cannot help,” Rohit added.
India’s Squad for 3rd ODI:
Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar
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