Jasprit Bumrah Misses 3rd T20I vs South Africa, BCCI Confirms He Has Returned Home

India took the field in the third T20I against South Africa without their premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, a move that caught many fans by surprise.
At the toss, captain Suryakumar Yadav clarified that Bumrah had travelled back home due to personal reasons and was therefore not available for selection. Soon after, the BCCI also acknowledged the development, stating that an update regarding Bumrah’s availability for the remaining matches of the T20I series would be shared at a later stage.

Bumrah’s absence is significant, especially considering his recent milestone of becoming the first Indian bowler to complete 100 international wickets in Tests, ODIs and T20Is. His ability to deliver under pressure and lead the bowling attack has made him a key figure in India’s T20 setup. With the series delicately poised at 1-1, India had to quickly reshuffle their plans for the third encounter.

In Bumrah’s place, the team management handed an opportunity to young pacer Harshit Rana, who was drafted into the playing XI to strengthen the pace department alongside Arshdeep Singh. India also made another forced change as all-rounder Axar Patel missed the match due to illness, prompting the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav to bolster the spin attack.

Speaking at the toss, Suryakumar Yadav highlighted the importance of staying positive and focused despite the changes. He emphasized that conditions were expected to remain good for batting, with dew likely to play a role later in the evening, which influenced India’s decision to bowl first. The captain also stressed the need for India to respond strongly after the previous game and to play fearless cricket.

The five-match T20I series remains evenly balanced, and the outcome of the third match is crucial in determining momentum going forward. While India will miss Bumrah’s experience and control, the team will hope that the younger players step up and make an impact. All eyes will now be on the BCCI’s next update, as fans await clarity on whether Bumrah will return for the remaining fixtures of the series.

India XI for 3rd T20I: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy.