Why is Jasprit Bumrah not playing for India vs New Zealand in 2nd T20I in Raipur?
India and New Zealand locked horns today in the second T20I of the five-match series. The hosts are already leading 1-0 in the series and the hosts made two changes to their playing XI. Apart from Axar Patel, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is also not playing this game. Here's why:
The second T20I between India and New Zealand is being played today at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur. India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl first, while also confirming that Jasprit Bumrah is not playing for India in this game. Apart from him, even Axar Patel isn't in the playing XI after sustaining an injury in the previous game. However, Bumrah's absence has left the fans concerned as he is a massive player for the team with the T20 World Cup less than two weeks away now.
But Surya confirmed at the toss that India's premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is fit and fine and only resting in today's T20I against New Zealand. "We have two changes - Axar is missing out because he got hit in the last game. And Bumrah is resting tonight. So Harshit and Kuldeep come in," Surya said at the toss. For the unversed, Bumrah didn't have a great game in Nagpur, conceding 29 runs in three overs while not picking up a wicket.
New Zealand make three changes
Meanwhile, New Zealand have also made three changes to their playing XI from the series opener. Tim Seifert has joined the squad and slots in at the top of the order right away. He will open the innings with Devon Conway and also take the wicketkeeping gloves for this match. Apart from him, Zakary Foulkes and Matt Henry are also included at the expense of Kristian Clark and Kyle Jamieson while Tim Robinson has also been dropped for Seifert.
"Mitchell Santner: We would have also bowled. I just think the ground’s already wet. I don’t think it’s going to get any better for us. Every time you play against a quality side in their home conditions, you’ve got to learn, and we did. Obviously, the way they came out with the bat throughout the whole innings, they came out pretty hard. So we know that now on the bowling side. We’ve just got to be a little bit clearer with our plans and try to squeeze them a little bit more," Santner said at the toss.
Playing XIs
New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Tim Seifert(w), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy