Bumrah returns home due to personal reasons, Axar out with fever; Major two changes in Indian squad

NEW DELHI: India's star pacer Jasprit Bumrah's absence from the third T20I against South Africa left many in shock. Captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed during the toss ahead of the match that Bumrah returned home due to personal reasons.

The BCCI, in a statement, said it would soon announce details of Bumrah's remaining matches in the series later. Harshit Rana was included in the playing XI for the third T20I in place of Bumrah. Bumrah recently created a record by becoming the first Indian bowler to take 100 international wickets in all three formats of cricket.

Apart from Bumrah, all-rounder Axar Patel was also rested in the third T20I. Patel is out with an illness. The five-match T20 series is tied 1-1. The team that wins today's match will have the upper hand in the series. Captain Suryakumar Yadav announced that Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav will replace both Bumrah and Axar.

India's playing XI for the third T20I: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.