India captain Shreyas Iyer has hinted at changes to the playing XI for the third and final T20I against Zimbabwe after pacer Prince Yadav suffered an apparent hamstring injury during the second match of the series.
Having already sealed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, the Men in Blue have the luxury of rotating their squad for the final game on Sunday.
Prince Yadav’s injury has emerged as India’s biggest concern ahead of the dead rubber. The right-arm pacer pulled up midway through his run-up while bowling the second delivery of his second over. He immediately clutched his hamstring and walked off the field after completing just 1.2 overs. Before the injury, Prince had made an impressive impact, claiming two wickets.
Speaking after India’s series-clinching win, Iyer confirmed that the injury could force the team management to make changes.
“One of our players got injured unfortunately, so you might see a few changes tomorrow (Sunday),” Iyer said during the post-match presentation.
Prince’s injury adds to India’s growing list of fast-bowling concerns. Ironically, he had been drafted into the squad as a replacement for Harshit Rana, who was ruled out of the Zimbabwe series after sustaining an injury during the T20Is against England.
It remains to be seen whether Prince recovers in time for the final match or will require rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, similar to Rana.
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who played a match-winning knock, said batting was far from easy despite his fluent innings. The left-hander struck nine fours and two sixes in his 44-ball innings and anchored India’s successful chase.
Reflecting on the conditions, Kishan said the pitch demanded patience rather than aggressive stroke play.
“I didn’t feel that the wicket was one where you could just go out and score freely. There was uneven bounce at times, so we knew partnerships would be important,” Kishan said.
India will now look to complete a 3-0 series sweep in the final T20I. With the series already secured, the visitors are expected to test their bench strength, especially if Prince Yadav is unavailable. The team management will also closely monitor the pacer’s fitness before deciding the next course of action, hoping to avoid another long-term injury setback ahead of a packed international schedule.
