India Recall Key Players for Afghanistan T20Is, Shreyas Iyer to Lead

India have announced a near full-strength squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, with several established players returning to the national side. Shreyas Iyer has been named captain, while Tilak Varma will serve as his deputy as India prepare for the series in New Delhi.

Jasprit Bumrah is among the biggest names to return to the T20I squad. The senior fast bowler has been included after his last appearance in the format came in the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand in March. However, his participation in the Afghanistan series remains subject to a fitness clearance.

Sanju Samson has also returned after missing India’s recent T20I tour of Zimbabwe. He has been selected as one of two wicketkeepers, alongside Ishan Kishan. The squad contains several changes from the Zimbabwe tour, with a number of players making way for more experienced options.

The bowling department has received a major boost with the inclusion of Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy. Harshit Rana has also been selected, although his availability will depend on his fitness. Varun returns after recovering from an injury and adds another experienced option to India’s spin attack.

The selectors have also retained young batting prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose performances against Zimbabwe helped strengthen his case for another opportunity at international level. The teenager scored two half-centuries during the Zimbabwe series and has continued to attract attention with his aggressive approach.

Hardik Pandya, however, has not been included after suffering a fresh setback during his comeback from injury. His absence leaves India without one of their leading all-round options for the series. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar have been included, but both remain subject to fitness clearance.

The three T20Is will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17. The series will provide India with an opportunity to assess their combination ahead of future international assignments while also giving returning players valuable match practice.

India’s squad features a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, with the return of key players expected to strengthen both the batting and bowling departments. The selectors will closely monitor the fitness of the players awaiting clearance before finalising the playing combinations for the three matches.