India Announce 15-Member Squad for Afghanistan T20I Series; Shreyas Iyer to Lead

India have announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The series is scheduled to begin on September 13 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Shreyas Iyer has been named captain of the Indian side, while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has also returned to the squad. Bumrah has not played a competitive match since India’s tour of England but is now available after clearing his fitness test.

Sanju Samson Returns

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has made his return to the T20I squad after being left out of the side for the Zimbabwe tour. Samson was part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign but was subsequently dropped from the playing XI after failing to make an impact in the early matches of the T20I series against Ireland and England.

His place was later taken by teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi during the England series. However, Suryavanshi also struggled to make a significant impact against England before producing a better performance during the Zimbabwe tour.

Vaibhav Retained, Rinku Singh Left Out

Despite being a young player, Suryavanshi has retained his place in the Indian squad for the Afghanistan series following his performances in Zimbabwe.

However, the selection has brought disappointment for Rinku Singh, who has been left out of the 15-member squad.

The three-match series will provide India with an opportunity to test its T20 options ahead of upcoming international assignments. The opening match will be played in Delhi on September 13, with the remaining fixtures scheduled as part of the series.