BCCI explains why Jasprit Bumrah missed 3rd T20I against South Africa

The third T20I between India and South Africa at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala began with a major update even before the first ball was bowled. India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was missing from the playing XI, sparking immediate discussion among fans and experts alike.

With the five-match series level at 1-1, the match carried extra significance, making Bumrah’s absence a key talking point ahead of the toss.

BCCI clarifies Bumrah’s situation

Shortly before the match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India issued an official statement to clear the air.

BCCI shared on X (formerly Twitter), “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.”

The confirmation came as India captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed two forced changes while speaking at the toss. Along with Bumrah, all-rounder Axar Patel was also ruled out due to illness.

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Toss update and team changes

Suryakumar won the toss and opted to bowl first, pointing to a good surface and the possibility of dew later in the evening. He stressed the importance of staying switched on for the full duration of the match and said the team was eager to put on a show for the Dharamshala crowd.

India brought in pacer Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement, while Kuldeep Yadav returned to the XI in place of Axar Patel. On the other hand, South Africa captain Aiden Markram said his side was happy to bat first despite the cold conditions and spoke about the need to maintain consistency after a strong showing in the previous game.

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India Playing XI

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.

South Africa made three changes, bringing in Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje and Tristan Stubbs.

South Africa Playing XI

Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (WK), Aiden Markram (C), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.

Bumrah’s absence is seen as a setback for India, given his impact in T20 cricket, especially in pressure situations and at the death. His return timeline will now be closely watched as the series progresses.