The BCCI on Sunday confirmed the Indian squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan with both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to the squad.
Sharma and Kohli have returned to the T20I squad after not featuring in any T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rohit will lead the team, while Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav are both unavailable due to injury.
The three matches against Afghanistan are the only international matches India will play before the 2024 World Cup in June.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who played in the previous series and was named vice-captain against South Africa, is not part of the squad.
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul and middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer are also not part of the squad.
Notably, Sanju Samson, who was not selected for the three-match T20I series against South Africa, has been included in the squad.
Shivam Dubey is another player who missed the South Africa tour but was part of the group that played the T20I series against Australia.
Pacers Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah have both been rested for the upcoming matches against Afghanistan and are likely to return to the Test squad, which will face England.
Three T20 matches against Afghanistan will be played in Mohali, Indore, and Bengaluru on January 11, 14 and 17 respectively.
India’s T20I Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Verma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wt), Sanju Samson (wt), Shivam Dubey, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arsdeep Singh, Avish Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
