Chennai: India are set to reshuffle their playing XI for the third and final ODI against Afghanistan as the team management looks beyond the immediate result and towards broader squad assessment ahead of upcoming overseas assignments.
The series has already been decided in the hosts’ favour following victories in the opening two matches, leaving Friday’s contest at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai without any pressure on the scoreboard. The focus, instead, has shifted to player workload, bench strength and combinations that could be useful in the months ahead.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed on the eve of the match that changes are on the cards, with several players likely to be rotated. Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who featured prominently in the first two games, is among those being considered for a break.
“No, we will be making a few changes from the first two games. Part of the brief coming into the series was that we wanted to try a few different combinations and give everyone a fair share of games. Someone like Arshdeep has bowled very well in the first two games; he can probably take a rest tomorrow, and the same goes for one of the batters. We’ll swap them out and go back to playing a slightly different side,” the assistant coach said in the press conference.
Ten Doeschate also provided an update on Nitish Reddy, whose absence from the second ODI had raised questions about his availability. “Nitish, he probably could have played the last game as well. But he will be good to go for tomorrow’s game,” the former Netherlands coach added.
Will Jaiswal get consistent run in ODIs?
The batting unit remains another area under scrutiny. With competition for places intensifying, opportunities have become increasingly valuable for players trying to establish themselves in the ODI setup. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s return to the format came in Lucknow, but the opener was unable to convert his chance into a substantial score. His position is being viewed in the context of an already crowded batting order featuring several established names and returning players.
“He is someone who is waiting in the wings because of the quality and the depth we have in that position. But I certainly get the feeling that the first priority is always to win the series and to put your best team out. Jaiswal does get a few chances and it is incredibly tough because there is so much quality. But he is one of those guys where he does get the right chances like this, he is going to have to score runs. That is just the nature of Indian cricket,” Ten Doeschate said.
