Predicting 3 players who could score the most runs in the India vs Afghanistan T20I series
Team India will square off against Afghanistan in the final leg of their preparations for the upcoming 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June. The three-match T20I series will get underway on Thursday, January 11, in Mohali.
The buzz surrounding the series is quite high, particularly due to the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the T20I setup after 14 months. However, head coach Rahul Dravid confirmed that Kohli will not be part of the first game due to personal reasons, stating that Rohit will open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Afghanistan have been one of the top-performing nations in the shortest format of late and will look to challenge the Indian side. The onus will be on Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to do the bulk of the scoring.
On that note, let's take a look at three batters who could score the most runs in the India vs Afghanistan T20I series.
#1 Rohit Sharma
The Indian skipper last played a T20I game during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where they lost to England in the semi-finals. There were rumors about his retirement from T20Is, but Rohit has made his intentions clear of playing in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Rohit has struggled for consistency since the ODI World Cup and the upcoming series presents an excellent opportunity for him to regain his touch.
The ace batter's duel with the Afghan bowlers will be a treat to watch and if he gets going, expect Rohit to make merry on these wickets.
#2 Ibrahim Zadran
The right-handed batter has been Afghanistan's most consistent performer with the willow in the recent past.
Ibrahim Zadran will be keen to stamp his authority against a quality Indian bowling attack. He is coming into the series off a decent campaign against the UAE and will look to build on it.
He has all the shots in his armor and can pose a threat to the inexperienced Indian attack.
#3 Yashasvi Jaiswal
Young left-handed batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has been one of India's most consistent run-scorers in the shortest format since making his debut in August last year. He has aggregated 430 runs in 14 innings at an average of 33.07 and a strike rate of almost 160. The southpaw has also slammed a century and two fifties.
In his brief international career, Jaiswal has already proved that he belongs to the stage and will look to build on his reputation in the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan.
With a place in the T20 World Cup up for grabs, Jaiswal will be keen to continue his form and confirm a berth in the plane to the USA and West Indies.