Bumrah & Axar excluded from third T20I, Kuldeep-Harshit find place

IND vs SA 3rd T20I: Jasprit Bumrah was not included in the playing XI, and Harshit Rana was given a chance.

Finally, it looks like India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been rested. After being included in the playing XIs for all T20I vs Australia, then two Tests, and two T20Is vs SA, he was not included in the team for the third match in Dharamsala. Instead, reserve pacer Harshit Rana was included.

No Bumrah & Axar

In fact, the other change was Axar Patel was also left out, due to an illness. In a statement released, the BCCI said, “Jasprit Bumrah has gone back home for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the game. An update on him joining the squad for the remaining matches will be provided in due course.”

NO Jasprit Bumrah in playing XI

Meanwhile, this match would be a tough test for the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill, who have been struggling for runs in 2025. Both of them have not managed to score even a fifty in the format in the year. Abhishek Sharma too has managed only two 17s in the series so far.

There will be a lot of expectation from JItesh Sharma as well, who is due for a big innings; and needs to prove his inclusion in the Indian team as well. He is yet to score a 50 in T20I for the nation. As far as the series is concerned, it is leveled at 1-1, and with three matches remaining.

India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma(w), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.

South Africa (Playing XI): Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock(w), Aiden Markram(c), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.