India vs South Africa 3rd ODI: Why Jasprit Bumrah Is Not Playing Today?

The ODI series between India and South Africa reaches a tight finish, with the third ODI acting as the decider. India take on South Africa at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on December 6, with the series finely balanced.

One major talking point for fans is the absence of Jasprit Bumrah from India’s lineup across this ODI match. Many expected Bumrah to feature in such a key clash, yet the pacer does not appear in any of the three ODI matches in this multi-format series.

India vs South Africa third ODI: KL Rahul toss call and pitch view

KL Rahul finally had some luck at the toss in Visakhapatnam, after India lost 20 successive ODI tosses. Rahul chose to bowl first and shared details about the feedback from training, the expected dew, and the team’s thinking after the second ODI performance.

"We'll bowl. We trained here last night and the feedback from the coaches was that there was dew, but it didn't come in as early as Ranchi and Raipur. We were obviously planning to bowl second, keeping our track record in mind. I don't think it's going to play such a big part like Raipur and Ranchi. But, we just want to change the total and see how we can bowl first," Rahul said at the toss.

India vs South Africa third ODI: Playing XIs and key selections

Rahul also confirmed changes from the previous ODI, as India aim to seal the series at home. Both teams field strong lineups for this deciding clash, combining experienced names and younger players across departments. The official playing XIs for the third ODI are listed below.

Bumrah’s absence links to workload management by the BCCI, which has kept the fast bowler out of every ODI in this series. Team management appear focused on protecting Bumrah’s fitness, considering the volume of matches across formats for India.

For those wondering about Bumrah’s next appearance, the pacer is scheduled to return soon. Bumrah is set to rejoin the Men in Blue during the five-match T20I series against South Africa, which follows this ODI leg on the same tour.

With the series level before this clash, both India and South Africa face strong pressure at Visakhapatnam. The outcome of this third ODI decides the winner of the multi-format battle, and selections, conditions, and Rahul’s call to chase are likely to shape the final result.