India vs Afghanistan 2024 T20 Series Strongest Playing 11
Rohit Sharma back to lead as we look at the strongest possible playing 11 for India vs Afghanistan 2024 T20 series.
After a successful stint during India’s Tour of South Africa 2024, Team India are back at home with their first home series of 2024. It is the Afghanistan team that India will be playing at home in a 3-match T20 series. What’s so awesome about this T20 series is that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are making a comeback, and this also happens to be the last T20 series before the World Cup.
Team India have selected a 16-member squad for the T20 series, which is led by Rohit Sharma. While the squad seems quite potent, it is devoid of a few big names like Hardik Pandya and SKY, who are injured, and Ravindra Jadeja and Shami, who are rested. With RoKo returning, this surely highlights their importance, and also confirms their presence in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
But with the return of RoKo, this leaves a big headache for the management while finalizing their strongest playing 11. Both haven’t played a single T20I for over a year, but with them returning, both are sure to feature in the playing 11. But then who will India leave out? Well, let’s look at the India vs Afghanistan 2024 T20 series strongest playing 11, and official squad details for both teams.
India vs Afghanistan 2024 Official T20 Squad for Indian Team:
Batters: Rinku Singh, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Virat Kohli & Yashasvi Jaiswal
WKs: Jitesh Sharma & Sanju Samson
All-rounders: Axar Patel, Shivam Dube & Washington Sundar
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar & Ravi Bishnoi
Team India’s Playing 11
Openers – Rohit Sharma & Yashasvi Jaiswal
The first question that India will face is who opens alongside Rohit Sharma. Whether India stick to giving Virat Kohli this position so that once SKY is back, he can play at the number 3 position? Or they select one from Shubman Gill or Yashasvi Jaiswal. Well, it’s a tricky question, but most probably, we should see India opting for attacking Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opening partner for Rohit.
Middle-order – Virat Kohli & Tilak Varma
Coming to the middle-order, we should once again see Virat Kohli back to his original number 3 position. With SKY not there, India can either for a wicket-keeper Sanju Samson, or a substitute player Tilak Varma. Well, with Jitesh in the squad, he will most probably play ahead of Sanju. Hence, Tilak Varma should be the guy for the number 4 position.
Finishers – Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma & Axar Patel
Talking about the finishers, we should see the attacking duo of Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma alongside All-rounder Axar Patel. Rinku has been a great find for Team India for the finishing duties, and India should stick to him no matter what. Similarly, Jitesh is a quality player, and must be looked upon as a wicket-keeper finisher.
Openers – Arshdeep Singh & Mukesh Kumar
With India mostly playing on spin-friendly pitches, India should stick to playing 2 pacers and 2 frontlines spinners. With three pace bowlers in front of India, they should mostly stick to Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar. In case of a need for a third pacer, India will play Avesh Khan in place of Ravi Bishnoi.
Spinners – Kuldeep Yadav & Ravi Bishnoi
Coming to the spinners, India will most-likely play the duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi. With Kuldeep being the senior play, he should definitely play ahead of Bishnoi. Whereas for the second spinner spot, Bishnoi should get an edge over Washington Sundar. With three spinners in the squad including Axar, it will be a great setup for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
India vs Afghanistan 2024 Strongest Possible T20 Playing 11 for the Indian Team:
Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav & Mukesh Kumar
India vs Afghanistan 2024 Official T20 Squad for Afghan Team:
Batters: Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran
WKs: Ikram Alikhil & Rahmanullah Gurbaz
All-rounders: Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmat Shah & Sharafuddin Ashraf
Bowlers: Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Saleem, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Qais Ahmad & Rashid Khan
Coming to Afghanistan’s strongest playing 11, we should see Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai as openers with Captain Ibrahim Zadran at 3. Rahmat Shah should occupy the fourth position with All-rounders Azmatullah Omerzai, Mohammad Nabi, and Gulbadi Naib to follow. Meanwhile, the bowling should rely on Rashid Khan, Mujeeb, Fazalhaq, and Naveen Ul-haq.
India vs Afghanistan 2024 Strongest Possible T20 Playing 11 for the Afghan Team:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omerzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi & Naveen-ul-Haq
India vs Afghanistan 2024 T20 Series Schedule:
- 1st T20I – Jan 11 @ Mohali, 7 pm IST
- 2nd T20I – Jan 14 @ Indore, 7 pm IST
- 3rd T20I – Jan 17 @ Bengaluru, 7 pm IST
Thanks for reading! What’s your playing 11 for the India vs Afghanistan 2024 T20 series? Please email your thoughts to business@cricalytics.com
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Adesh Kothari is the founder of AK4Tsay1 Cricalytics with over 20 years of experience following Cricket.
Cricket to him is like what Football is to Lionel Messi, Singing is to Lata Mangeshkar, Dancing is to Michael Jackson, and Acting is to Clint Eastwood.
Besides his effervescent love for Cricket, Adesh is an MBA by qualification.
