ODI series has already been secured, team India Entered the third and final ODI against afghanistan Got an opportunity to test the depth of my team and experiment with different combinations at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The hosts dominated the entire series and registered impressive wins in both Dharamshala and Lucknow to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Ahead of the stalemate, India opted to make several changes to their playing eleven as part of their workload management strategy. The team management has consistently stressed the importance of giving opportunities to players across the squad, especially with a busy international calendar coming up in the second half of the year. Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bowl first, while Indian captain Mohd. Shubman Gill Three changes were revealed to the side, including the return of Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Why is KL Rahul not playing the third ODI match against Afghanistan?
The biggest talking point before the start of the match was the absence of the senior wicketkeeper-batsman. KL Rahul From India’s playing eleven. However, Rahul’s absence is not related to any injury or fitness concern. The experienced batsman has been rested as part of India’s rotation policy, with the team management keen to provide opportunities to other players in the squad.
assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate It was indicated even before the match that India will make some changes in the last ODI. He explained that the coaching staff wanted to assess different combinations and ensure that more players get game time during the series. Since India had already clinched the series, the management decided to rest Rahul and bring back all-rounder Reddy to strengthen the balance of the team.
Rahul had mixed luck in the first two ODIs. He played a crucial unbeaten inning of 39 runs off just 19 balls in the opening match in Dharamshala, which helped India complete the chase with ease. However, he had a disappointing performance in Lucknow and was out for a golden duck despite India posting huge scores. Nevertheless, Rahul remains one of India’s most reliable ODI performers, having scored over 3,300 runs in this format at an average above 50.
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As India mobilizes its resources, Nitish Kumar Reddy is back
While Rahul was rested, all-rounder Reddy returned to the playing eleven after missing the previous game. His inclusion gives India additional batting depth and another seam-bowling option, giving the team more flexibility ahead of future assignments. India also gave opportunities Prasidh Krishna And Harsh Dubey As part of the rotation policy.
Management decided to rest key players and evaluate backup options, a move that is in line with their long-term planning approach. Yashasvi Jaiswal Also retained his position at the top order Rohit SharmaWhereas Ishan Kishan Continued behind the stumps.
Speaking at the toss, Gill admitted that India would have preferred to bat first, but saw the chase as a useful opportunity to improve on an area they have not been able to test extensively during the series. With the series already under their belt, the final ODI gives India a chance to assess the team’s depth while maintaining momentum ahead of upcoming international commitments.
India’s playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav.
Afghanistan’s playing XI: Rehmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Umarzai, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Zia ur Rehman Sharifi, Farid Ahmed Malik.
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