Three T20Is Against Afghanistan

India will play Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series from September 13 to 17.

All three matches will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

The series is part of Afghanistan’s Future Tours Programme and will be hosted by India.

Sanju Samson Makes His Return

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has been recalled to the Indian T20I squad.

He was not part of India’s Zimbabwe tour in late July, with Prabhsimran Singh receiving an opportunity in his place. Samson’s exclusion had followed a series of low scores during India’s tours of Ireland and England.

His return gives India another experienced wicketkeeping and batting option ahead of the Afghanistan series.

Hardik Pandya Still Missing

All-rounder Hardik Pandya has not been selected for the Afghanistan T20Is.

Pandya has been out of competitive cricket since the end of IPL 2026. He reportedly suffered a leg injury while training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru earlier this year, delaying his return to the Indian team.

Shreyas Iyer Continues as Captain

Shreyas Iyer will lead India in the T20I series, with Tilak Varma serving as vice-captain.

The BCCI made a major change to the T20I leadership structure in June, replacing Suryakumar Yadav with Iyer and naming Tilak as his deputy.

Jasprit Bumrah Returns

Jasprit Bumrah has also returned to the T20I squad.

It is his first T20I selection since the World Cup final against New Zealand earlier this year. However, Bumrah suffered a knee injury during the ODI tour of England in July and later missed the Test series in Sri Lanka. His participation against Afghanistan remains subject to fitness clearance.

Two More Players Subject to Fitness

Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana have also been included in the squad.

Both players had suffered hamstring injuries, and their participation in the series will depend on fitness clearance.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Retained

Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to be part of India’s T20I setup.

The 15-year-old earned his maiden India call-up after an impressive IPL 2026 season and remains part of the squad for the Afghanistan series.

India Squad

India T20I squad:
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.

Players subject to fitness clearance: Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana.

Why Hardik’s Absence Matters

Hardik Pandya remains an important all-round option for India in T20 cricket because of his ability to contribute with both bat and ball.

His continued absence could affect India’s balance, particularly because the selectors are still waiting for clarity over his fitness and return to competitive cricket.

Conclusion

Sanju Samson has returned to India’s T20I squad for the three-match Afghanistan series, while Shreyas Iyer will continue as captain and Tilak Varma as vice-captain.

Hardik Pandya has not yet returned to the squad, with his comeback delayed following his injury. Jasprit Bumrah has been recalled but will need fitness clearance before featuring. The three matches in New Delhi from September 13 to 17 will provide another important test for India’s new-look T20I setup.