Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to make their return to India’s T20I squad after an absence of over a year, gearing up for the three-match series against Afghanistan, which serves as India’s final T20I assignment before the T20 World Cup in June. Rohit will lead the squad, stepping in as captain, with regular leaders Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav sidelined due to injuries.
Having prioritized Test cricket and ODIs, Rohit and Kohli last played T20Is during India’s semi-final defeat to England in the T20 World Cup in November 2022. Their inclusion in the squad, following a visit by chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar to South Africa during the New Year’s Test, indicates their pivotal role in India’s plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
India’s squad for Afghanistan tour: Suryakumar sidelined due to an ankle injury
With Hardik leading India in T20Is post the 2022 T20 World Cup and Suryakumar captaining in Hardik’s absence during the 2023 ODI World Cup, both players were instrumental. However, Suryakumar is now sidelined due to an ankle injury, and both he and Hardik are expected to return for the IPL in March.
Ruturaj Gaikwad is absent due to a finger injury sustained in South Africa, while KL Rahul is not part of the 15-member squad. Ishan Kishan has opted out for a break to refocus on his game. Jitesh Sharma, retained from recent series, continues as the wicketkeeper, with Sanju Samson making a comeback as the backup.
Mumbai allrounder Shivam Dube earns another T20I opportunity following an impressive IPL 2023. He played a vital role as a spin-hitter for Chennai Super Kings and was part of India’s Asian Games gold-winning squad. Rested for workload management are Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, with Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja also missing. Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Ravi Bishnoi form the spin attack.
Deepak Chahar, named for the South Africa T20Is but absent due to personal reasons, is excluded, and selectors opt for Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar. Kuldeep, fresh from a five-for in South Africa, showcased his form in the Ranji Trophy.
After the Afghanistan T20Is from January 11 to 17, India faces England from January 25 to March 11. Post this series, players will join their IPL teams for the 2024 season, concluding shortly before the T20 World Cup begins on June 1.
India’s T20I squad against Afghanistan:
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
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