Jayant Yadav stats: Why is Kane Williamson not playing today’s 2nd Test between India and New Zealand in Mumbai?

Kane Williamson not playing: New Zealand have had to make a forced change to their Playing XI in this match at the Wankhede Stadium.

During the first day of the second Test of the ongoing New Zealand’s tour of India in Mumbai, India captain Virat Kohli has won the toss and chose to bat.

“We’re batting first. Looks like a hard wicket and not a lot of grass. With the sun out, it should be the best time to bat. We just have to do the basics right like in Kanpur. New Zealand must be given credit for batting out the overs on Day 5. We can be in positions to capitalize at home if we play well,” Kohli told Star Sports at the toss.

India, who were expected to make at least one change to accommodate Kohli in the Playing XI, have had to make three to replace the injured trio of vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and pacer Ishant Sharma.

“[Ajinkya] Rahane had a hammie niggle on Day 5. [Ravindra] Jadeja has a swollen right forearm and Ishant [Sharma] has an [finger] injury too,” Kohli said.

As far as the replacements are concerned, Kohli, all-rounder Jayant Yadav and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj have been included into the XI. Yadav, who had last played international cricket in 2017, is making a comeback after almost half-a-decade. In four Tests during the 2016-17 home season, Yadav had picked 11 wickets at an average of 33.36 and scored 228 runs including a century and half-century each.

Why is Kane Williamson not playing vs New Zealand?

Much like Kohli, New Zealand stand-in captain Tom Latham also wanted to bat first at the Wankhede Stadium. Another similarity is that the visitors have also lost a senior player in captain Kane Williamson to an injury on the morning of the match. It is worth mentioning that Latham is leading New Zealand in Williamson’s absence.

“We would’ve had a bat too. It’s been under covers for a few days, and so it might do a bit early. Unfortunate for Kane [Williamson], his elbow is acting up again, but good chance for [Daryl] Mitchell.

“It might swing with the humidity here, and we will get assistance and given the pitch it will spin too. We did well after losing the toss in Kanpur and hopefully we can make use of the conditions here and pick up some early wickets,” Latham told Star Sports at the toss.

Mitchell, 30, has played five Tests for New Zealand scoring 232 runs at an average of 58 including a century and half-century each.

Readers must note that the first session of Day 1 has been lost due to a wet outfield. A total of 78 overs are to be bowled across two sessions today.