India are all set to host Afghanistan for the three-match T20I series, scheduled to begin on January 11 in Mohali. Recently, BCCI announced India’s squad, which witnessed the return of star senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Notably, both Rohit and Kohli last played a T20I game against England at during the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final in Australia.

The battle against Afghanistan is crucial as its India’s final T20I series before the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2024, slated to be played in the USA and West Indies in June. No wonder, BCCI opted to pick a full-strength squad for this series.

Although, the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya were not picked for the battle against the Afghans as the duo was ruled out due to their respective injuries. With many stars in the squad, it would be interesting to see who will get the nod in the final playing XI for the upcoming T20I leg. On that note, lets have a look at what could be India’s best XI for this series:

Explosive openers:

Rohit Sharma (c): As the appointed captain for the T20I series against Afghanistan, Rohit Sharma, a seasoned campaigner in white-ball cricket, brings a wealth of experience with him. Known for his aggressive batting style, Rohit’s ability to take charge of the game and lead from the front makes him a formidable force.

With a blend of tactical acumen and a natural flair for big hits, all eyes will be on Rohit as he aims to steer the Indian team to victory and set a positive tone for the series and the forthcoming T20 World Cup.

Yashasvi Jaiswal: The explosive young opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, will partner Rohit as he has earned his place in the playing eleven with a series of impressive performances. His aggressive approach and fearless batting have caught the attention of cricket enthusiasts, making him a key player to watch in the series against Afghanistan.

Jaiswal’s ability to provide a solid start at the top of the order will be crucial in setting the foundation for India’s innings. As a rising star in Indian cricket, the left-handed batter’s inclusion signals a commitment to nurturing and integrating young talent into the national squad, adding an exciting dynamic to the team’s batting lineup.

IND vs AFG 2024 Schedule

The first match of the series will be played on January 11 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. The 2nd T20I will be played on January 14 at Indore while the last and 3rd T20I will be played on January 17 at Bengaluru.

Check out the full IND vs AFG 2024 Schedule below with venue, IST, GMT and Local time details:

Date Match Venue IST GMT/Local
Jan 11, Thu India vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT/07:00 PM LOCAL
Jan 14, Sun India vs Afghanistan, 2nd T20I Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT/07:00 PM LOCAL
Jan 17, Wed India vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT/07:00 PM LOCAL
IND vs AFG 2024 Squad
IND vs AFG 2024 Squad: The squad details of the Afghanistan Tour of India 2024 will be updated here right after the official announcement.

Afghanistan Squad
Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmaullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib.

India Squad
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.