Nitish Reddy and Harsh Dubey are out vs Afghanistan [Source: AFP]After winning the first ODI match against Afghanistan, Team India will aim to secure the series as they collide against the Afghans in the second ODI match at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. The first blood was drawn by the visitors as Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and he elected to bowl first.For Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi, and Azmatullah Omarzai are not playing, and interestingly, India has also made three key changes.As expected, Prasidh Krishna has been dropped after a poor outing in the first ODI, but to everyone’s surprise, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harsh Dubey have also been snubbed as Yashasvi Jaiswal nd Kuldeep Yadav are back.Why India has dropped Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harsh Dubey vs Afghanistan?For the second ODI, Shubman Gill stated during toss time that the team has strengthened the batting department, and hence, a front-line batter in Yashasvi Jaiswal has been brought into the playing XI. Nitish Reddy’s exclusion was a surprise, but Gill cleared the air on him as well.The Indian ODI captain stated that NKR had some issues with his quad, and hence, the management has decided to give him a rest. Moreover, the BCCI has also released an official statement on his injury.Mr Nitish Kumar Reddy was unavailable for selection for the second ODI due to a sore left thigh. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress," BCCI statement read.Harsh Dubey's exclusion is for a simple reason as India wants to try out Kuldeep Yadav in the middle-overs. He is a wicket-taker, and India will continue to experiment with their lineups.Nitish Reddy, Harsh Dubey impressed in first ODI vs AfghanistanThe pair of Nitish Reddy and Harsh Dubey was impressive in the first ODI of the series against Afghanistan in Dharamsala. With Hardik Pandya ruled out, NKR had a chance to grab the all-rounder’s spot, and while he was not required to bat, the all-rounder was outstanding with the ball. Also Read: Hardik Pandya’s Absence Opens The Door For Nitish Kumar Reddy In ODIsOn a spicy wicket that assisted the pacers, the right-arm pacer bowled at accurate lines and lengths, and scalped figures of 2 for 31 to rattle the Afghanistan batters.On the other hand, Harsh Dubey, who was playing his maiden game for India was equally effective with his bowling. He conceded 47 runs in five overs, but the bowler managed to contain the Afghan batters as he picked up 3 wickets and was unplayable at times.Dubey has been rested to accommodate Kuldeep, but the team will miss his services, especially after his exploits in the first ODI. Moreover, NKR was brilliant with his gentle pace, and India might need a new wicket-taker in the middle-overs.India's playing XI Vs Afghanistan, 2nd ODIIndia Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince YadavAlso Read: Why Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai Are Not Playing Today's IND vs AFG 2nd ODI?
