Sydney, Oct 25 (NationPress) India’s seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of selection for the third and final ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday due to a left quadriceps injury he incurred during the second match in Adelaide, as confirmed by the BCCI.

His absence allowed Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm wrist spinner, to take the field for his first match in the ODI series. Additionally, Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm pacer, was substituted by fast bowler Prasidh Krishna.

The BCCI stated, "Nitish Kumar Reddy suffered a left quadriceps injury during the second ODI in Adelaide and is therefore unavailable for the third ODI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his condition daily."

With the series already in Australia's favor, India's bowling lineup in Sydney now consists of three pacers and three spin-bowling options. In the second game in Adelaide, which India lost by two wickets, Arshdeep appeared to experience cramps towards the end and was seen receiving medical assistance.

Since both Nitish and Arshdeep are part of India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series in Australia, the Indian management may have chosen to avoid risking either player for the series finale. In two matches, Nitish's batting scores were 19 not out and eight, while his bowling efforts did not result in any wickets.

The match in Sydney marked the third consecutive time that India captain Shubman Gill lost the toss. Australia captain Mitchell Marsh opted to bat first, which was only the second time in his 10 ODIs as captain. Previously, Cricket Australia (CA) announced that the Sydney match is a complete sell-out, as it could potentially be the last opportunity for batting legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play in Australia.

–IANS