One win up, India locked in the ODI series early. The last match, though, set for June 20 in Chennai, is where choices open wide. Instead of sticking to starters, coaches might slide new faces into the lineup. Experience matters, so letting others play makes sense. Game time like this builds depth when big names rest. A chance, yes. But also a quiet way to shape what comes next.
Now that the series is secured, India might shuffle the team so each of the fifteen players sees game time across two outings. At the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where the home side aims for a clean sweep, chances open up for Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, and Harsh Dubey to step in.
Nitish, Prasidh and Harsh could return for the Chennai ODI
Besides strong bowling, Nitish Kumar Reddy may earn a fresh chance soon. His 2/31 stood out under clear skies in Dharamsala. Though he handled pressure well early on, time ran short at the crease later that day.
For now, Washington Sundar hasn’t made much noise through the series. Without a wicket in Dharamsala, his outing there stayed blank. In Lucknow, he added only 19 runs while others pushed India towards their total of 402. Though he picked up one scalp during the second ODI, selectors may still choose to ease him out briefly. Bringing Nitish back into the fold seems possible. That move might open space for the younger player to step in earlier – perhaps slotting at number four or five.
A surprise comeback might come from Prasidh Krishna. Though he played the first match, he sat out in Lucknow even after delivering sharp spells in Dharamsala. Swapping in him instead of Arshdeep Singh would raise eyebrows – after all, the left-armer already owns five wickets this series. Still, the shift wouldn’t question performance; it’d follow a pattern of shuffling.
Harsh Dubey made a strong impression right from his first game. Not just spinning the ball well, he took three wickets while hinting at more than just bowling skills. Since India seems keen on testing different players, a second chance might come his way – this time in Chennai.
Predicted India XI for the third ODI vs Afghanistan:
Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey.
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