In a major comeback for T20Is since the 2022 World Cup, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli unveiled the Indian team on Sunday for their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Furthermore, Rohit will lead the side as well. The pair had been a consistent presence in the squads throughout One-Day Internationals and Tests, but they returned to the shorter format many months prior to the T20 World Cup, which will take place in the USA and the West Indies in June.
With so many young players taking their places, there was a lot of conjecture around the return of Rohit and Kohli. However, the BCCI appears to have summoned up Rohit and Kohli as the team’s senior hitters because Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are still sidelined with injury.
Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who open the innings, also keep their spots, although Ishan Kishan is not included in the team. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson reappears in his place. Jitesh Sharma, another wicketkeeper, has also kept his place in the team.
As Ravindra Jadeja was rested, bowlers Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi will spearhead India’s spin assault. The three leading pacers are still Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar. Prasidh Krishna has been sidelined due to subpar results in the shorter format.
The Afghanistan series will start on January 11 and last until January 17. The first Twenty20 International (T20I) match is slated to take place at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, followed by the second match in Indore on January 14 and the final match in Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on January 17.
The whole Indian team for the T20I series against Afghanistan is as follows:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar
