3 things to look forward to in India vs Afghanistan T20Is
India will take on Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series at home starting from January 11 (Thursday). Mohali will host the opening T20I, followed by matches in Indore and Bengaluru.
The series will also serve as the last chance for India and Afghanistan to figure out their respective squads for the T20 World Cup slated to be held in the USA and the Caribbean in June-July.
While most of the Indian players will get an opportunity to showcase their talents in the IPL, this series will more or less help finalise the squad which India will be going with for the World Cup.
The Indian squad for the Afghanistan series is a perfect blend of youth and experience, with regular skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli returning to the T20 fold.
Following India's shambolic semi-final loss to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup, Hardik Pandya emerged as the preferred T20 captain, with Rohit and Kohli not playing a single T20I since that match.
However, after Hardik's injury and Rohit and Virat's exceptional form in the fifty-over World Cup, the selectors had to bring back the experienced duo.
Let us have a look at three things to look forward to in the India vs Afghanistan series:
# 3. Who will be India's first-choice wicket-keeper?
With KL Rahul being overlooked for the T20I series, the Indian team management seems to be wanting to look beyond the experienced campaigners. They want some fresh young blood in the wicket-keeping department who can play the big shots right from the outset.
Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson have been named in the sixteen-member squad, but it is still unclear who will be preferred for the first encounter. Ishan Kishan, who made himself unavailable for the South Africa series, is yet to make himself available as confirmed by head coach Rahul Dravid.
Samson and Jitesh can take down any bowling attack on their day. While Samson can bat anywhere in the top seven, Jitesh can be used as a finisher or floater when his team needs some quick runs.
# 2. Has India moved beyond Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj in the T20 format?
The trio of Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan will lead the Indian pace attack in the T20 series against Afghanistan. While Bumrah and Siraj were rested to manage their workload, Shami is still nursing an injury which also ruled him out of the South Africa tour.
Mohammed Siraj has struggled to find his rhythm in the shortest format while Shami has been in and out of the T20I team. His last assignment in the Indian T20I side was the semi-final clash of the 2022 T20 World Cup against England.
Bumrah could still make a return to the squad provided he has an outstanding season in the IPL. The series will also give the likes of Arshdeep, Mukesh and Avesh a chance to cement their places in the World Cup squad.
# 1. The return of Rohit-Kohli to the T20I squad
Following India's heartbreaking loss in the fifty-over World Cup final just a couple of months back, the charismatic duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have another shot at World Cup glory after the duo was brought back into the T20I fold in the Afghanistan series.
It cleared all the speculations surrounding the duo's involvement in the T20 World Cup. Both Rohit and Virat looked in sublime form during the fifty-over World Cup and the two finished the tournament as two of the leading run-getters.
While Rohit blasted the bowlers in the powerplay, Kohli showed immense maturity in the middle overs, which might be needed even in the T20 World Cup with so many power hitters around.