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The T20I series against Afghanistan has generated a lot of buzz with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back into the fold.
Rohit and Kohli didn't play T20Is for India since their defeat against England in the T20 World Cup semi-final in November 2022. But their recall for the three-match series against Afghanistan, starting on Thursday, January 11, 2024. has boosted their hopes of making it to the T20 World Cup in June.
While the selectors have been picking youngsters for the T20 team in the last 12-15 months, they were forced to go back to Rohit and Kohli following injuries to key players.
T20 stars who won't be part of the Afghanistan series:
Hardik Pandya
Though there has been no update on Hardik's recovery from injury status, he is all set to make a comeback during IPL 2024 where he will captain Mumbai Indians.
It will be interesting to see Rohit play under Hardik's captaincy in the IPL, while the roles will be reversed if the selectors retain Rohit as India skipper for the T20 World Cup.
Suryakumar Yadav
SKY has been laid low with a hernia and could undergo surgery which will rule him out for a couple of months.
World No. 1 batter Suryakumar was one of the candidates to lead India in T20 cricket having captained the during the five-match series against Australia at home and in the three-match series last month in place of the injured Hardik and the rested Rohit.
He is also set to be back in action at the start of IPL 2024.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Gaikwad fractured his right ring finger while fielding in the second ODI against South Africa in Gqeberha last month.
He could be back for the five-Test series against England and is one of the candidates to replace the struggling Shubman Gill at No. 3.
Ishan Kishan
Ishan has been kept out of the T20 team after he withdraw from the South Africa Test series citing 'personal reasons'.
He did well in the T20I series against Australia with two fifties from three games.
Jasprit Bumrah
After a heavy workload in the South Africa Test series, Bumrah has been a given break.
He will lead the pace attack in the Test series against England followed by IPL 2024 and the T20 World Cup.
Mohammed Siraj
Siraj has been India's most consistent performer with the ball across formats.
Like Bumrah, he also has been rested and will brace up for a hectic schedule in Mohammed Shami's absence for the England series.
Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja is another key Test bowler who gets a rest from the Afghanistan series. He missed the first Test in South Africa because of back spasms and didn't bowl a single ball in the next game.
The selectors have wisely decided to let Jadeja rest before he is expected to bowl a lot of overs in the Tests against England.
This is the last T20I series for India before the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States.
The selectors have already made it clear that the players for the T20 World Cup will be picked on their showing in IPL 2024, which has made the race wide open.
While Rohit captains India in the Afghanistan series it remains to be seen if he stays as the leader when Hardik Pandya makes a comeback for the World Cup.
Wwill Kohli play ahead of Suryakumar Yadav in a packed middle order also featuring Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson.
India's squad for Afghanistan T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.