Skipper Rohit and Kohli return to T20I mix as India name squad for Afghanistan series

Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli last played for India in the shortest format during the 2022 World T20 semi-final against England where the Men in Blue had suffered a 10-wicket thrashing. The focus thereon had largely shifted to the home ODI World Cup that concluded in November even though the two remained on the sidelines for ensuing bilaterals against Australia and South Africa as well.

‌Meanwhile, the regular skipper for the past year Hardik Pandya and his stand-in Suryakumar Yadav will not be a part of the upcoming assignment as both players are nursing an injury currently. The former withstood a ligament tear during the 2023 World Cup match against Bangladesh and was seen limping in pain while SKY twisted his ankle in the third bilateral T20I against South Africa and underwent surgery thereafter. Currently, the duo is undergoing rehabilitation and as per the BCCI medical staff in the National Cricket Academy (NCA), are yet to reach optimal fitness. 

In addition, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who led the Indian side to a gold medal in the Men’s Asia Cup, also sustained a finger injury in the series in South Africa and is expected to miss the initial half of the upcoming England Test series as well. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were another notable exclusion from the squad with the pacers supposedly rested after starring in a famous Indian victory at the New Year's Test in Newlands.

The contingent features as many as four specialist spinners in the form of Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, and Kuldeep Yadav alongside Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar as the three designated pacers. Medium-pace all-rounder Shivam Dube also managed to eke out a place for himself in the squad having returned to contention last year following a breakthrough 2023 IPL campaign with Chennai Super Kings.

The first T20I will take place in Mohali on January 11 followed by encounters in Indore and Bengaluru on January 14 and 17 respectively. The series is slated to be India's last foray in the shortest format before the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA beginning June 1 where they have been placed in a group with Pakistan, Canada, Ireland, and the United States.