The BCCI has announced India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming India vs Afghanistan T20 series. The three matches will take place in Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17. Afghanistan will host the series, but India will host all three matches.
The squad has brought back Sanju Samson. However, India also has a fitness concern. Four players — Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana — need fitness clearance before they can play.
Sanju Samson returns to India’s T20I squad
The return of Sanju Samson is one of the biggest talking points from the India squad for Afghanistan series.
Samson did not play in India’s previous T20I series against Zimbabwe. Prabhsimran Singh replaced him in that squad. India had said that Samson was rested for the series.
His absence led to some criticism from fans. Some fans also thought that India had dropped him.
His return for the India vs Afghanistan squad now gives a clear picture. The selectors still see Samson as part of their T20I plans.
Samson will compete with Ishan Kishan for the wicketkeeper’s spot. Both players can also give India more batting options.
Three fast-bowling options have fitness concerns
India’s biggest concern is around the pace department.
Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy have an asterisk next to their names. They all need fitness clearance.
Bumrah remains India’s main fast bowler. His availability will be very important.
Harshit Rana is another fast-bowling option. Nitish Kumar Reddy can also bowl medium pace along with his batting.
India could therefore have doubts about three important players before the series.
Arshdeep Singh is the only other specialist fast bowler in the squad. If any of the three players fail to get fitness clearance, India may have to change their team combination.
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Why Nitish Kumar Reddy is important
Reddy’s fitness will be important for India because of his all-round ability.
India see him as a possible backup for Hardik Pandya. Hardik has faced several injury problems in his career.
Reddy can help India with both batting and bowling. He can add more depth to the batting order and also give the captain another bowling option.
India cannot easily replace that role with a specialist batter or bowler.
However, Reddy still needs fitness clearance. India will have to wait before knowing if he can play in the Afghanistan series.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets another chance
The squad also includes young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Sooryavanshi has quickly made a name for himself. His selection shows that India continues to give opportunities to young players.
He joins Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma in the batting group. This gives India a mix of young players and experienced names.
Shreyas Iyer will lead the team. Tilak Varma will be the vice-captain.
Shivam Dube and Axar Patel give India more all-round options.
The spin department includes Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi.
If Sundar gets fitness clearance, India will have several spin options for the series.
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India’s 15-member squad for Afghanistan
India’s squad for the three-match series is:
Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana*.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana need fitness clearance.
What the squad tells us about India’s plans
The IND vs AFG series will give India a chance to test different T20 combinations.
The return of Samson is important. It shows that India still have him in their T20I plans after resting him for the Zimbabwe series.
However, the fitness of Bumrah, Rana and Reddy remains a concern.
Reddy’s fitness is especially important because India need good all-round options behind Hardik Pandya. His ability to bat and bowl makes him a valuable player.
The first match will take place in Delhi on September 13.
Before the India vs Afghanistan T20 series starts, the main question will be whether all four players get fitness clearance.
India already have several options in the squad. However, the final playing combination could change depending on which players are declared fit.
India’s preparations for the next T20 World Cup have already started. In the Afghanistan series, India will want their players to perform well and build a strong core group quickly.
This will also help them prepare for the next big events, including the 2028 LA Olympics and the next T20 World Cup.
What do you think? Who will win the 3-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan? Let us know your prediction in the comments.
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