Why Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are not playing IND vs SA T20I series?

Two of the three highest wicket-takers in the 2023 World Cup, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, will miss the white-ball leg of India's tour of South Africa. This includes the two remaining T20Is (the first was washed out) and three ODIs.

While Bumrah has been rested, Shami hasn't been in India's T20I scheme for over a year. Both are expected to return for the two Tests at the end of the tour which will be played between December 26 and January 7.

Bumrah, who clinched 20 wickets at the World Cup, is likely to lead India's bowling attack at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.

He made a comeback after almost a year-long injury lay-off just weeks before the World Cup and played about a dozen ODIs in a couple of months. The BCCI understandably wants to manage his workload in the build-up to the T20 World Cup.

Shami, on the other hand, is also nursing an ankle injury. He didn't play as many matches as Bumrah in the last few months and could've made it to the ODI squad for the South Africa series. However, the BCCI believes he'd be back to his best on time for the Boxing Day Test in Centurion.

Although Shami doesn't look to be a part of India's T20I plans at the moment, that could change if he has a good IPL campaign just before the World Cup starts.

Who has replaced Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in India's playing 11?

India have gone with three frontline pacers - Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar for the second T20I.

While Siraj will play his first game since the 2023 World Cup, Arshdeep and Mukesh have been leading India's T20I attack for the past few series.

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