IND vs AFG T20s: What to expect from Rohit Sharma's men in 3-match series

Apart from winning the series, India are also expected to check their preparation in all departments in the only series ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma will lead India in T20 internationals for the first time since losing the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 against England. He has been named captain for a three-match series against Afghanistan, starting January 11, 2024. This will be the only series that India plays ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.

First bilateral T20 series between India and Afghanistan

Afghanistan will be playing their first bilateral series against India, having played their first match against the Men in Blue way back in the 2010 T20 World Cup. The two teams have met in five T20 internationals before, with India winning four of them, and the last meeting between the two teams in the Asian Games final ended in a no-result.

 

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's approach

Virat Kohli has generally played slowly at the start of the innings. The slowness of Kohli's start has been a matter of discussion in the cricket fraternity. Rohit Sharma clearly showed in the ODI World Cup that all he cared about was attacking cricket and gave India quick starts.

Thus, it is an apt opportunity for Kohli, ahead of the IPL and T20 World Cup, to build a pattern or 'template' on how to approach the innings fast and also keep his wicket intact.

Who will be India's wicket-keeper?

Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson have been selected as two wicket-keepers in the side. With Sanju being a number three or four player and Suryakumar Yadav not available, he is likely to get the go-ahead as the wicket-keeper batter. He also scored a century against South Africa in ODIs, to make his case even stronger. 

Rinku Singh stands tall

Rinku Singh has yet another opportunity to showcase his talent and cement his place further in the side ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup. Rinku, who debuted for India against Ireland in July 2023, has played 12 T20Is and scored 262 runs at an average of 65.5 and a strike rate of 180.68.  Thanks to his great showing in the shortest format, Rinku also got an opportunity to play in the ODIs and over there too he showed temperament that he can be a long-term bet.

Afghanistan in T20s since 2022 T20 World Cup

Afghanistan have not played big teams in the recent past. Since the T20 World Cup 2022 where they lost all their matches, Afghanistan played two three-match series against UAE, winning both of them 2-1. They also played a second-string Pakistan in a three-match series in Sharjah and won it 2-1.

Their only other opponents were Bangladesh, against whom they lost a two-match series 0-2. A second-strung Afghanistan side also appeared in the Asian Games 2023 and went on to claim a silver medal after the final against India was washed out. But only four players from that side are part of the squad that has travelled to India. Eight players of India’s Asian Games squad though are also part of the current Indian T20 squad.

India bowling during T20 series

The Indian squad has only three genuine pacers Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan. Shivam Dube, a  fast-bowling all-rounder, who is more of a batter, is the fourth pace option.  

There are four spinners and all of them present different varieties. Kuldeep Yadav is a chinaman while Ravi Bishnoi is a leg spinner bowler who bowls googlies more often than leg breaks.

Axar Patel is a left-arm orthodox while Washington Sundar is right-arm orthodox. India have covered all angles as far as spin-bowling requirements are concerned.  Rohit and team management would be expected to play two pacers and three spinners with Dube as a sixth bowling option. Two unorthodox options in Kuldeep and Bishnoi seem fixed. It would be a choice between Axar and Sundar that they would have to make.

India Squad for Afghanistan T20s

Rohit Sharma (C), S Gill, Y Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, W Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar

Afghanistan Squad for India T20s

Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmaullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib and Rashid Khan.