India vs Afghanistan, 2nd T20I: Kohli’s Return Sparks Selection Dilemmas, Jaiswal vs Gill, Kuldeep in Contention

All eyes on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as India face Afghanistan in 2nd T20I

In the upcoming 2nd T20I against Afghanistan in Indore, the stage is set for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to silence their critics on a historically high-scoring ground. Both players are making their comeback after a fourteen-month hiatus, with Rohit having a forgettable performance in Mohali and Kohli missing the match due to personal reasons.

With Kohli returning, there’s speculation about changes in the lineup, marking his comeback to India’s T20 international playing XI since the T20 World Cup semifinal loss against England. There’s a likelihood of Kohli reclaiming his favorite No. 3 position, though the option of opening with captain Rohit Sharma remains open, as suggested by head coach Rahul Dravid.

The opening partnership also faces uncertainty, with Yashasvi Jaiswal initially set to open with Rohit Sharma, but ruled out due to a groin injury in the first match. Shubman Gill stepped in and showcased a quickfire 23, but if Jaiswal is fit, the team faces a dilemma on fitting Gill into the playing XI.

After Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai’s successful onslaught against Ravi Bishnoi in the first match, the leg-spinner might make way for chinaman Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep, who was the player of the series in South Africa, could bring a different dimension to the bowling attack.

Local player Avesh Khan may replace Washington Sundar, especially on a high-scoring venue like Indore. Sundar struggled with the ball in the previous match, and the decision to include Avesh could add bowling strength but might impact the team’s lower-order batting. The upcoming match holds strategic decisions for Team India as it serves as the last T20 series before the World Cup.

India vs Afghanistan playing XIs

India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan

Afghanistan XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

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