IND vs AFG T20Is 2026: Sanju Samson returns, Jasprit Bumrah's selection subject to fitness; no update on Hardik Pandya
India will play three T20Is against Afghanistan in New Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) are the hosts of this T20I series and is a part of ACB's Future Tours Program.
Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah have been included in the Indian squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, the BCCI announced on Tuesday. After being dropped in the middle of the T20I series against England to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Samson missed the series against Zimbabwe as the BCCI persisted with the 15-year-old in Harare.
Meanwhile, Bumrah, who was ruled out in the middle of the ODI series against England, returns to the squad after a long gap, but his availability will be subject to fitness. Also in the subject to fitness list is another pacer Harshit Rana, who was ruled out during the England T20Is due to injury.
Like Bumrah and Rana, the selection of all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar will also depend on their respective fitness, Both the players missed the Test series against Sri Lanka, which India won 1-0.
Hardik Pandya misses Afghanistan T20Is
Meanwhile, there was no update on star all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The 32-year-old last played any competitive match was on May 24, for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. For the national team, Pandya's last game was the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand on March 8.
Recovering from persistent back spasms, Pandya has been undergoing his rehab at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) for a long time and missed the home ODI series against Afghanistan and the subsequent tours of Ireland, England and Zimbabwe. According to a TOI report, Pandya's return against Afghanistan got delayed due to a late injury.
The report stated that a late leg niggle delayed Pandya's return in international cricket for India. The Indian team will be led by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as his deputy. Also missing from the squad is Rinku Singh.
Varun Chakaravarthy to lead spin attack
The series is part of Afghanistan's Future Tours Program and will be played in India, where Afghanistan has hosted its home fixtures in recent years. The Indian top order features a mix of experienced campaigners and young talent, including Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Samson and Ishan Kishan.
The middle order features the likes of skipper Shreyas, Tilak and Shivam Dube. India have opted for three all-round options in Reddy, Axar Patel and Sundar. Varun Chakaravarthy will lead the spin attack with Ravi Bishnoi.
The pace attack will be spearheaded by Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, with Harshit Rana providing an additional option with his effective cutters.
India vs Afghanistan T20Is 2026 schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| September 13 | India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| September 15 | India vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| September 17 | India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
India's T20I squad against Afghanistan
India’s squad: Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson [WK], Ishan Kishan [WK], Tilak Varma [VC], Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*
NOTE: *Subject to fitness clearance
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