After over a year-long hiatus, the Indian men’s T20 cricket team will soon welcome back seasoned stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as they prepare to take on Afghanistan in a home series timed from January 11 to 17.
- The Long-Awaited Comeback: Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) announced India’s 16-member T20 squad which Sharma and Kohli were returning to the T20i set up after over a year.
- Schedule and Venue: The series begins with the first T20 in Mohali on January 11 and then has its second post-clash at Indore on January 17.
- Break from T20 Cricket: Sharma and Kohli made their last appearance in T20I during India’s semifinal defeat to England at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held in late November. Both chose to follow longer formats in subsequent events.
- Leadership Transition: Rohit Sharma takes Indian T20 captaincy for the Afghanistan series. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, players who previously led the team when Sharma was sidelined both sustain injuries while KL Rahul fails to be picked for selection.
- Looking Ahead: It is possible that including these veteran batters in the squad would indicate participation in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will take place in June next year and be hosted by the USA and West Indies.
- Upcoming Engagements: India will prepare to host England in a five-match Test series following post the T20I World Cup against Afghanistan, their last international dates before the T20 World Cup commences.
- Afghanistan’s Squad and Challenges: The 19-member squad of Afghanistan led by Ibrahim Zadran for the tour was announced. While spinner Rashid Khan features in the playing eleven, there is uncertainty over his availability due to his recovery from back surgery.
Squad Line-ups for India vs. Afghanistan T20I Series 2024
India's T20I Squad:
- Rohit Sharma (Captain)
- Shubman Gill
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Virat Kohli
- Tilak Varma
- Rinku Singh
- Jitesh Sharma (Wicket-Keeper)
- Sanju Samson (Wicket-Keeper)
- Shivam Dube
- Washington Sundar
- Axar Patel
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Arshdeep Singh
- Avesh Khan
- Mukesh Kumar
Afghanistan’s T20I Squad:
- Ibrahim Zadran (Captain)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicket-Keeper)
- Ikram Alikhil (Wicket-Keeper)
- Hazratullah Zazai
- Rahmat Shah
- Najibullah Zadran
- Mohammad Nabi
- Karim Janat
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Sharafuddin Ashraf
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
- Fareed Ahmad
- Naveen Ul Haq
- Noor Ahmad
- Mohammad Saleem
- Qais Ahmad
- Gulbadin Naib
- Rashid Khan
Cricket fans have been eagerly awaiting the comeback of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to India's T20 side as this has brought forth anticipation ahead of an exciting series against Afghanistan that lies before crucial international competitions.
Image Source: X/ESPN
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