IND vs AFG, 2nd T20I: Focus on returning Virat Kohli as India eye series win in Indore

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• Jan 13, 2024 | Guriya Khatun

India has defeated Afghanistan five times out of six times in all competitions, with one match ending in a draw.

Digital Desk: As India set to face Afghanistan in the second T20 International at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who returns to the Indian team for the T20I format after a long absence of nearly 14 months. After establishing a 1-0 lead with a six-wicket victory in Mohali, the Indian team, captained by Rohit Sharma, will try to complete a series victory.

Shivam Dube won Player of the Match in the opening Twenty20 International after putting up an outstanding all-around performance that was essential to India's six-wicket victory over Afghanistan. Dube performed admirably at number four, taking the pressure and making a big contribution to the team's victory despite the chilly weather.

India has defeated Afghanistan five times out of six times in all competitions, with one match ending in a draw. They have a commanding record over the Afghans. They faced off for the first time in the 2010 T20 World Cup. The Indian team is strengthened by the addition of Kohli, who traveled from Mumbai to Indore for the Sunday match as the sides get ready for their next encounter.

Despite Rashid Khan's absence, the Indian team is not taking the Afghan side lightly. Mujeeb ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Fazalhaq Farooqi are just a few of the excellent players from Afghanistan who, if they play well together, can win the match.

Players like Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel have a chance to make an impression and maintain their chances of making the Indian T20 World Cup team. 

Performances in this series are very important because there aren't any more T20I series until the main tournament in June.

In the batsman-wicketkeeper order, Jitesh Sharma in particular has surpassed Ishan Kishan and will be hoping to establish himself with a big hit. Last year, in a three-match away series against the West Indies, Tilak Varma scored 39, 51, and 49 runs without conceding an over. It was a great start to his T20I career. But since then, Varma's production has decreased.

Three scores of twenty or more and one knock of thirty or more dominated the remaining 13 innings, with only one more fifty coming against a Bangladesh side that was not at their best at the Asian Games. Star batsman Virat Kohli will play in this match after missing the previous one, thus it remains to be seen if Varma can maintain his spot in the squad.

High-scoring innings could result from the Indore pitch's reputation for favouring hitters. But to control the Afghan batsmen, who can demolish any bowling attack, like Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Nabi, Indian spinners like Axar Patel, who was recently called back to the Test team, would have to be cunning.

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan.