India vs Australia: Reason why Ishan Kishan misses 3rd ODI, BCCI names water boys for Rajkot game

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India vs Australia 3rd ODI: India captain Rohit Sharma, senior batter Virat Kohli, and leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav return to the squad for the third one-day international against Australia in Rajkot on Wednesday (September 27).

Having already clinched the three-match series 2-0, the Men In Blue have fielded a strong side in the dead rubber as it will be the last game before Rohit Sharma and his band take on similar opponents in their ICC World Cup 2023 opener in Chennai on October 8.

On return Rohit-Virat-Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah - who missed the second ODI in Indore - get an automatic inclusion in the playing eleven for the inconsequential third one-dayer. While wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan wasn't a part of the playing eleven in Rajkot.

The team management included Shreyas Iyer, a centurion from the last match, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav - who slammed back-to-back fifties in Mohali and Indore - in the middle-order.

Why Ishan Kishan Is Not Playing Today?

Kishan, the wicketkeeper-batter from Jharkhand, has been playing purely as a batter in this series against Pat Cummins-led Australian side. But the left-handed swashbuckler is missing this game. The BCCI in an official communication on X, formerly known as Twitter, revealed that the 25-year-old cricketer wasn't considered for selection due to an illness.

"Ishan Kishan was unavailable for selection for the 3rd ODI due to an illness," the official handle of the Indian Men's Cricket Team wrote on X. Kishan scored 18 and 31 respectively in the first and second ODI against Australia.

Why R Ashwin is not playing today?

In an interesting move from the Indian captain, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin - who played a pivotal role in their win in Indore - was not picked up in the 3rd ODI. Instead, the skipper went with Ashwin's Tamil Nadu teammate and fellow off-spinner Washington Sundar.

"Myself, Virat, and Kuldeep are all back. From the last game, Ashwin is also missing, Washington is in. Ishan is not well, he's got a viral fever so he misses out," Rohit said at the toss.

Rajkot Cricketers To Support Team India in Rajkot ODI

The communique further apprised the followers about substitute fielders and the waterboys for Team India for the Rajkot ODI. The team management has picked up local Saurashtra cricketers for the role.

"Additionally, four local state players - Dharmendra Jadeja, Prerak Mankad, Vishwaraj Jadeja, and Harvik Desai will support the team for drinks and fielding throughout the match," added the communique.

Meanwhile after winning the toss, Australian skipper elect to bat first against Rohit and his band with the hopes of securing a morale-boosting win, in what is also their last international encounter before the showpiece event.

IND vs AUS 3rd ODI Playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Australia: Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey(wk), Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Tanveer Sangha, Josh Hazlewood.