Despite Rohit Sharma’s unremarkable return with the bat, India comfortably secured victory over Afghanistan in the Mohali T20I, with Virat Kohli sidelined due to personal reasons and Yashasvi Jaiswal unavailable due to a groin injury.
Although Afghanistan will miss the services of Rashid Khan for the entire three-match series, their T20 team remains a potent force, with six players in the XI from Thursday’s game holding IPL contracts and nearly all participating in various franchise T20 and T10 leagues globally.
Virat Kohli is poised to make his return in the second T20I in Indore, marking India’s penultimate T20 encounter before the T20 World Cup kicks off in the USA and the West Indies in June.
Kohli’s performance against spin in T20 cricket has been closely watched, as he holds the second-lowest strike rate against spin among batters with at least 50 innings in the IPL over the past five seasons.
The match against Afghanistan will provide a significant test for Kohli against spinners like Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi. Additionally, the focus remains on Rohit Sharma’s ability to dominate T20I powerplays, similar to his exploits in the ODI powerplays during the World Cup last year.
India’s decision to include Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar in the playing XI has expanded their bowling options to six, while also extending their batting lineup to No. 8. Dube, who was omitted from the T20I series against South Africa and remained on the bench in the home T20Is against Australia,
Now has an opportunity to stake his claim for a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad as a backup for Hardik Pandya, particularly if he delivers a strong performance in the upcoming IPL season.
In the upcoming Indore T20I, Virat Kohli is set to make a return to the Indian playing XI. If Yashasvi Jaiswal is fit, he is likely to replace Shubman Gill at the top of the order.
There might be a change in the bowling department, with wristspinner Ravi Bishnoi making way for Kuldeep Yadav, who could bring a different spin dimension to the team. Additionally, there could be a consideration to test Avesh Khan in place of either a fast bowler or a spinner at some point in the series.
The team management may make strategic adjustments based on performance and conditions
Here is the probable playing XI for India in the upcoming match:
The Indore pitch is known for being flat and conducive to aggressive batting, with a fast outfield and short boundaries contributing to high-scoring T20Is. In the last T20I at this venue in October 2022, a total of 405 runs were scored, and South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw even managed a blistering 48-ball hundred.
The upcoming match is expected to witness similar conditions, providing an ideal setting for batsmen to play aggressively. The weather forecast indicates a clear and warm day, a relief for players who faced cold conditions in the previous match in Mohali.
