Canberra: Team India will be without pace-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for the final ODI of the series in Sydney due to a quadriceps injury. The 22-year-old remains sidelined as he also misses the T20I series, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirming that Reddy has been ruled out of the first three T20 matches. His recovery from the quad injury was complicated by a neck spasm, prolonging his time away from the field, with an expected timeline for full fitness being about a week.
On October 29, the BCCI issued a statement regarding Reddy’s condition, noting, “Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out for the first three T20Is. The all-rounder, who was recovering from his left quadriceps injury sustained during the second ODI in Adelaide, complained of neck spasms, which has impacted his recovery and mobility. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.” Reddy had joined the T20 squad for the Australia series as a replacement for Hardik Pandya, necessitating adjustments to India’s playing XI.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bat at the Manuka Oval, remarking that the pitch appeared favorable for batting throughout the 40 overs. In contrast, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav suggested that the wicket may slow down later in the match, thus opting to bat first.
Playing XIs:
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (w), Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (w), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
