Indore weather forecast today: What are the chances of rain during the India vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I?
India will look to wrap up the series when they take on Afghanistan in the second T20I at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday, January 14. The hosts currently lead the three-match series 1-0.
Batting first, Afghanistan amassed 158/5 in their 20 overs in their last match. After a solid start from the top order, all-rounder Mohammad Nabi's quickfire 42 off 27 balls helped the visitors post a challenging total. Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar picked up two wickets apiece for the home side.
In response, all-rounder Shivam Dube smashed an unbeaten 60 off 40 deliveries to see the team through, with 15 balls to spare. Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma also played a significant hand, chipping in with a 20-ball 31.
While the Men in Blue will look to seal the series, the spotlight will be on Virat Kohli, who will make a return to India's T20I team after 14 months. The hosts will look to push their limits to prepare for the 2024 T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in June.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, will look to play out of their skin and eke out a result in their favor. They would want their top-order batters to adopt a more aggressive approach, while the bowlers need to be more proactive with their line and length.
While the plot is set for an exciting contest, the buzz is about the Indore weather. According to Accuweather, there is no chance of precipitation at all during the match at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. There would be no cloud cover as well.
The temperature will hover between 21 and 15 degrees Celsius and is expected to be cold. The wind would be blowing at nine km/hr.
"Ideally you want Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to be together from the start" - Aakash Chopra
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra wants Virat Kohli to open alongside Rohit Sharma for the second T20I against Afghanistan.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said:
"If you see the entire World Cup, Virat Kohli has a playing style and he scores a lot of runs when he follows that template. Even in T20s, he rarely starts hitting fours and sixes from the first ball. He takes his time. If he has to run at a strike rate of 150, he does that in the powerplay.
"In New York or the West Indies, the pitches will be such that there will be more chances of runs getting scored in the first six overs," he added. "So ideally you want Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to be together from the start. If you have to follow that template, start it now."
Who should make way for Virat Kohli in India's playing XI for the second T20I against Afghanistan? Let us know in the comments section.