Rohit Sharma: Why is Suryakumar Yadav not playing today’s 3rd T20I between India and England?

Suryakumar Yadav not playing: India have made a solitary change to a Playing XI which had comprehensively won the second match.

During the third T20I of the ongoing England’s tour of India in Ahmedabad, England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss and chose to field in his 100th T20I.

“We’re going to bowl first. The wicket has a good covering of grass, shorter on one side and a bit humid today. Given the way the series has panned out and it’s about putting up a collective performance today and win the game. Glad to play my 100th game, a big day for me and my family,” Morgan told Star Sports at the toss.

As far as the changes to the visiting XI is concerned, they have brought back pacer Mark Wood in place of Tom Curran. Curran, who had replaced Wood in the previous match after the latter suffered a niggle, had leaked 26 runs in a couple of overs.

Why is Suryakumar Yadav not playing today’s 3rd T20I in Ahmedabad?

Much like Morgan, India captain Virat Kohli also expressed his wish to bowl first but laid emphasis on India wanting to do well irrespective of the outcome of the toss.

“I would have bowled first as well. We want to work on setting targets as well, in preparation for the future. England is going to come out hard and we have to bring our A-game. Crowds are important, but we have to be professional and go out and give it our best in whatever conditions we have been given,” Kohli told Star Sports at the toss.

Similar to their opposition, India have also made a lone change to their Playing XI. Batsman Suryakumar Yadav, who had made his T20I debut alongside Ishan Kishan in the last match, has been benched to accommodate white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma. Yadav, who didn’t get to bat in the second T20I, is doubtlessly a tad unfortunate to miss this match.

It would seem hard on Suryakumar Yadav but once Rohit came back it was going to be tough. I expect him to get a game sometime in the next two matches though

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 16, 2021

“Unfortunately, Suryakumar Yadav has to make way and Rohit [Sharma] is coming back in for us at the top of the order. So, KL [Rahul] and Rohit will open for us today,” Kohli added.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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