Following their 1-1 Test series tie in South Africa, Team India will play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan at home.
On Thursday, January 11, the first match will be played in Mohali. A few prominent names have been summoned back by the Men in Blue.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have not played in a T20I for over a year,
have been nominated to the roster, which also includes a slew of young players.
At the same time, there are a few noticeable omissions. While it’s easy to assume that players like Jasprit Bumrah will be called up when needed,
there are plenty of questions about the inclusion of others.
Fans are forced to form their judgments in the absence of clear communication from the BCCI.
Three major names have been left out of India’s team for the T20I series against Afghanistan.
No 3 – Ishan Kishan (T20I series)
Ishan Kishan withdrew from India’s tour to South Africa for personal reasons,
with reports claiming that the teenager needed a vacation to care for his mental health.
There has been no indication of a possible comeback, and he has not been selected to face Afghanistan.
Kishan’s most recent T20I appearance was against Australia at home. He ended a lengthy run of poor form by scoring consecutive
Half-centuries while batting at No. 3, potentially establishing himself as the format’s wicket-keeper.
Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson have been selected to face Afghanistan as Rishabh Pant recovers.
Neither keeper is a lock to start right now, nor must the door be left open for Kishan to return whenever he becomes eligible for selection.
No 2 – Ravindra Jadeja
Axar Patel and Washington Sundar have been named to India’s team, however, Ravindra Jadeja’s name has not been disclosed by the BCCI.
Jadeja was the Men in Blue’s vice-captain for their most recent T20I tour to the Rainbow Nation,
and his bowling has been particularly impressive.
While he hasn’t lit the world on fire with his bat, the left-hander has shown flashes of improvement down in the order.
Axar was brilliant with the ball against Australia, and considering his batting record,
he would be better suited to a job at No. 7 with little batting to follow.
However, as the T20 World Cup approaches, Jadeja may return to the fold, as has been the case in the white-ball forms over the previous two years.
No 1 – KL Rahul
KL Rahul recently begged the selectors to consider him for the T20I series against Afghanistan.
As previously stated, Jitesh and Samson have been chosen as wicket-keepers.
Rahul’s intent has been a huge issue in the shortest format, and sources indicate that he may be attempted
in a middle-order role during the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
The skipper of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) missed a significant portion of the IPL 2023 after sustaining a thigh injury while fielding.
Despite his outstanding exploits in the longer forms, Rahul appears to be fighting for a berth in the T20I team.
IPL 2024 might be significant in this sense, especially if he achieves a regular batting lineup role.
Also Read: Three players who were fortunate enough to be selected for India’s T20I team against Afghanistan