By: Aditya Ahuja
After a gap of 14 long months, Indian captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli have returned to the T20I setup, for the three-match series against Afghanistan.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 16-player roster for the series, which starts from January 11.
The senior duo was last seen in action during the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England, which the ‘Men in Blue’ lost by 10 wickets.
“The Men’s Selection Committee unveiled India’s squad for the upcoming IDFC First Bank T20I series against Afghanistan,” stated the BCCI in an official announcement.
Rohit will lead the Indian squad in the T20Is against Afghanistan, with Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson handling wicketkeeping duties.
The team boasts several all-rounders such as Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel. Leg spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav will add depth to the spin department, complemented by pacers Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar.
Other batters included in the squad are Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Tilak Varma.
Suryakumar Yadav, who captained India in the T20Is in South Africa last December, missed out on selection due to an ankle injury sustained while fielding in the third and final match in Johannesburg. He recently underwent ankle surgery and is expected to resume training in a few months.
Apart from him, Hardik Pandya and Ruturaj Gaikwad were also ruled out from the series due to injuries. The three players will miss India’s last chance at a T20 series.
The T20I series between India and Afghanistan will commence on January 11 in Mohali, followed by the second game on January 14 in Indore, and concluding on January 17 in Bengaluru.
This Afghanistan series marks India’s final bilateral T20I series before the T20 World Cup, scheduled to commence on June 1.
India’s Squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), 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, and Mukesh Kumar.