India vs Afghanistan: India have announced a 15-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Jasprit Bumrah is back in the side. However, Hardik Pandya has missed out after suffering a fresh injury setback.
Shreyas Iyer will continue to lead the side, with Tilak Varma as his deputy. Young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has retained his place after being part of the Zimbabwe series. Bumrah returns after missing the tours of Ireland and England. Sanju Samson, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana are also back.
Pandya’s comeback plans hit a roadblock due to a leg niggle. He has not played competitive cricket since the IPL on May 24. His last appearance for India was in the T20 World Cup final on March 8.
Samson and Ishan Kishan are the wicketkeeping options. The batters are Abhishek Sharma, Sooryavanshi, Iyer, Tilak, and Shivam Dube. The all-rounders are Dube, Nitish, Axar, and Washington. Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi are the spin bowlers. Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Harshit are the fast bowlers.
Eight players from the Zimbabwe squad have been left out. They are Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, and Prabhsimran Singh. The selectors have gone for a more experienced combination for this series.
India vs Afghanistan T20I Series: Hits of the Indian squad
The Indian squad for the Afghanistan T20I series has several key strengths. The return of the pace attack is a major boost. Jasprit Bumrah is back in the T20I setup for the first time since March, subject to fitness clearance. He is joined by Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, along with spin all-rounder Axar Patel, who has also returned to the squad.
The batting line-up is deep and explosive. Fifteen-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi retains his place after a sensational run of form. He was India’s leading run-scorer in the Zimbabwe T20I series, amassing 151 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 196.10. He carried this form into the Duleep Trophy as well. The squad also includes two specialist wicketkeepers, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. The all-round options include Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.
Shreyas Iyer stays as the team captain, and Tilak Varma is the vice-captain. The team looks strong and ready for the matches against Afghanistan. The selectors chose more experienced players this time, leaving out a few players who went to Zimbabwe. The team looks strong and will be looking to start the series on a positive note. The series begins on September 13 in Delhi. The team will be confident of putting up a good performance.
India vs Afghanistan T20I Series: Misses of the Indian squad
The Indian squad for the Afghanistan T20Is has some notable concerns. Hardik Pandya’s continued absence is a significant blow. He has been left out due to a fresh leg niggle that has delayed his recovery. He was batting and bowling at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, but a discomfort in his leg meant he was not match-fit for the series. The team will hope he recovers fully and returns soon.
In a major change, Rinku Singh has been dropped from the squad. He managed only 37 runs in two innings against Zimbabwe and has made way for returning players. His exclusion is a surprise, given his previous performances for India.
Fitness issues are causing some doubts. Four players, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Harshit Rana, must pass fitness tests before they can play. This makes the final team line-up uncertain. We will only know if they can play right before the matches start.
The team has changed a lot, with eight new players replacing those from the Zimbabwe series. This stops the team from keeping the same lineup. The team needs to win consistently, and changing players too often can make that hard.
India vs Afghanistan Series: A Look at the Indian Squad
The Indian T20I squad includes Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson [WK], Ishan Kishan [WK], Tilak Varma [VC], Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana.
FAQs
Q. Who is India’s vice-captain for the series?
A. Tilak Varma will serve as vice-captain.
Q. Why is Hardik Pandya missing from the squad?
A. Hardik Pandya has suffered a fresh leg niggle.
Q. Who are India’s wicketkeeping options?
A. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are the options.
Q. When does the Afghanistan T20I series begin?
A. The series begins on September 13 in Delhi.
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