India Recall Jasprit Bumrah and Sanju Samson for Afghanistan T20I Series; Hardik Pandya Ruled Out
NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled a formidable 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, signaling a shift toward a more experienced core. The roster features the high-profile return of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, even as the team continues to navigate the fitness woes of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Shreyas Iyer will continue at the helm, captaining a balanced side, with promising middle-order batter Tilak Varma named as his deputy.
Bumrah Returns; Hardik Pandya Sidelined
The most significant headline is the return of Jasprit Bumrah. The premier fast bowler, who sat out the recent assignments against Ireland, England, and the tour of Zimbabwe to manage his workload, bolsters the Indian pace attack alongside Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
Conversely, the team will have to move forward without Hardik Pandya. As previously reported, Pandya’s path to a national comeback hit a fresh roadblock after a leg niggle interrupted his bowling drills at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. The star all-rounder has been sidelined from competitive cricket since the IPL concluded on May 24, with his last international appearance dating back to the T20 World Cup final on March 8.
Tactical Shift in Selection
The selection committee appears to have moved past the experimental phase seen during the Zimbabwe series. While young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has retained his spot after an impressive domestic run, the squad sees the return of established figures such as Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
In total, eight players who featured in the Zimbabwe series—including Rinku Singh and Mayank Yadav—have been excluded, highlighting the selectors’ desire to field a side closer to India’s first-choice T20I setup.
Squad Composition
The batting department will be anchored by captain Shreyas Iyer and vice-captain Tilak Varma, supported by the keeping duo of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. The all-rounder contingent remains robust, featuring the versatile Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.
The bowling attack offers variety, pairing the pace of Bumrah and his cohorts with the mystery spin of Varun Chakaravarthy and the tactical guile of Ravi Bishnoi. Notably, the participation of Bumrah, Reddy, Sundar, and Rana remains subject to final fitness clearances from the medical team.
Fans and analysts are eagerly tracking the Shreyas Iyer-led 15-member India squad as the team looks to assert its dominance against a spirited Afghanistan side.
India Squad for Afghanistan T20Is:
Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana
*Subject to fitness clearance
