Mohali weather forecast today: What are the chances of rain during the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I?
India will square off against Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series, starting on Thursday, January 11, at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium.
This will be India's final T20 assignment before the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June. The management will look to finalize their team combination for the mega event in the upcoming three games.
The Men in Blue have welcomed the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma into the T20I fold after 14 months. Although Kohli will miss the first game due to personal reasons, Rohit, who has been appointed as captain, will be available for all three games. The hosts, however, will miss the services of Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, who are out due to respective injuries.
It won't be smooth sailing for India against Afghanistan, who have been one of the consistent performers in the shortest format. The Afghans, however, will miss ace leg-spinner Rashid Khan in the first game in Mohali, but Mujeeb-ur-Rahman's inclusion will be a boost for the team.
While the plot is set for a cracking contest, the buzz is around the weather conditions in Mohali. And much to the delight of fans, there is no chance of showers at all on Thursday in Punjab. Thus, a full 40-over contest is on the cards.
It would be extremely chilly in Mohali, with the temperature expected to hover around 10 degrees Celsius. However, the real feel is likely to be below 10 degrees, and players will have to wear pullovers to keep them warm.
"He has been performing well in the role of a finisher" - Team India head coach on Rinku Singh
Young left-handed batter Rinku Singh has impressed one and all with his explosive batting as a finisher in his brief international career. Indian head coach Rahul Dravid also spoke highly of Rinku's abilities and believes the upcoming three games will develop the youngster as a player.
"He has been performing well in the role of a finisher," Dravid told reporters. "This series (against Afghanistan) is another opportunity for him to develop himself as a cricketer further."
"Whatever opportunity he gets here or in the IPL, it will be good for his development. Whenever a player does well, he always remains in the thoughts of the selector," he added.
Rinku has amassed 262 runs in eight T20I innings at an average of over 65 and a strike rate of 180.68.