Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja not playing: The Indian team management has made a couple of big changes for the deciding T20I.
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During the third T20I of the ongoing West Indies’ tour of India in Mumbai, India have benched spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. While the hosts were expected to make at least one change, them making a couple of changes has come as an intriguing prospect.
In the first two ODIs, Chahal bowled his full quota of four overs on both the occasions giving away 36 runs twice. While he dismissed two West Indian batsmen in the first match in Hyderabad, the 29-year old player was wicket-less in the second match in Thiruvananthapuram.
On the other hand, Jadeja picked a solitary wicket in both the outings. While he gave away 30 runs in four over in Hyderabad, he conceded 22 runs in just two overs in the last match.
Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja not playing today’s third T20I
It was West Indies captain Kieron Pollard who won the toss and invited India in to bat. Coming on the back of a comprehensive victory, the visitors will play with an unchanged XI.
“I think it’s a great wicket to score runs. We have been tentative while batting first. T20 cricket goes that way. We were about 15 runs short [in the last game]. Fielding is an important part in this format. If we had taken our chances, things could have been different.
“As a batsman, you try to get into your zone first. This is a ground where you can always catch up. Those who get a fifty, need to ensure that they carry on and score those extra 25 runs for the side,” Kohli was quoted as saying during the toss.
It is worth mentioning that fast bowler Mohammed Shami and spinner Kuldeep Yadav have replaced Chahal and Jadeja for this match.
While Kohli announced the two changes, he didn’t provide any rationale behind doing the same. With Jadeja scoring 9 (11) in the slog overs in Thiruvananthapuram, the Indian team management might have thought of playing a specialist bowler in his place.
As far as all-rounder Washington Sundar playing over Chahal, it was Kohli who talked about having depth in their T20I batting lineup in the past. With Jadeja not playing, it was unlikely for India to drop Sundar as well.
