In the ongoing third Test between India and New Zealand at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, the absence of two major players, Jasprit Bumrah for India and Mitchell Santner for New Zealand, has raised questions among fans. Both teams made late adjustments to their playing XIs as Bumrah and Santner were unavailable for the last game of the series.

Reason why Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Santner are not playing the Mumbai Test

New Zealand, having won the toss, opted to bat on what appeared to be a favourable surface. Captain Tom Latham expressed confidence in his side’s ability to adapt quickly to the conditions, mentioning that their strategy remains consistent despite a few lineup changes. Santner, suffering from a minor side strain, has been replaced by leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, who will bring a fresh dimension to the Kiwi attack. Additionally, Matt Henry returns to the team, replacing Tim Southee to strengthen their bowling lineup.

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India’s skipper Rohit Sharma, reflecting on the series so far, acknowledged his side’s struggles in the previous two matches, both of which India lost. “It gives another opportunity to try and correct those things,” Rohit noted, emphasizing a focused approach for the final Test. The absence of Bumrah, a critical component of India’s bowling unit, is a significant blow for India. Bumrah is reportedly unwell and has not fully recovered from his viral illness. Therefore, Mohammed Siraj has been brought in to replace him, aiming to bring pace and energy to the Indian attack.

IND vs NZ: Lineups for the third Test

India’s playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand’s playing XI: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel, William O’Rourke

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