India is currently locking horns with Afghanistan in the third T20I at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on January 17. Having already secured victories in the first two matches in Mohali and Indore, the Men in Blue have claimed the series win with a six-wicket margin in each encounter. Now eyeing a whitewash in Bengaluru, India has witnessed commendable performances, both in batting and bowling.
Shivam Dube has seized opportunities with two impactful half-centuries and has also contributed with the ball. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal showcased his prowess with a rapid fifty in Indore after sitting out the opening match, while left-arm spinner Axar Patel has been highly impressive with the ball.
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The T20I series marks the return of senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the format. However, the former is yet to open his account in the series, raising concerns, especially considering the manner of his dismissal in the previous match. On the other hand, Kohli exhibited good form in Indore after sitting out the first game.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Rohit Sharma explained, “We have bowled in the first two games, so we want to bat first. Nothing to do with the pitch. We want to try different things, different combinations.”
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In terms of team composition, the playing XI for India sees the exclusion of Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, and Jitesh Sharma, making way for Sanju Samson, Avesh Khan, and Kuldeep Yadav. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has excluded Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Fazalhaq Farooqi from the playing XI.
Notably, during the first over of the match, while changing ends, Rohit Sharma was heard asking the umpire (Virender Sharma) about a boundary given off the thigh pad as the umpire confirmed, expressing humorously how he had gotten two ducks in the last two outings.
Here is the video of the incident:
— . (@45Stan__) January 17, 2024
