When India officially starts their 2027 World Cup preparations with the first-ever ODI series against Afghanistan in Dharamsala on Saturday, Rohit Sharma’s match fitness will be put to the test, but the team management will also keep a close eye on Nitish Kumar Reddy’s performance as a backup for injury-prone Hardik Pandya.
While top draw Virat Kohli will miss the series owing to an uncommon hamstring injury, Rohit has recovered full fitness in time for the three games against Afghanistan after nursing a hamstring ache during the Indian Premier League.
There are questions about whether 39-year-old Rohit can make it to the ODI finale as India prepares for the World Cup in South Africa in October and November of 2027. Despite his advanced age, Rohit has managed to sustain his exceptional consistency.
Before the big event, India will play about 25 ODIs, which will provide the squad plenty of chance to try out different players and lineups.
Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy has not gotten off to a pleasant start with two losses in three series. Working with head coach Gautam Gambhir, he would like to increase his presence in the dressing room.
Gill and Rohit are anticipated to start the innings, while in Kohli’s absence, Yashasvi Jaiswal and return man Ishan Kishan would face off at number three.
Shreyas Iyer, the recently named T20 captain, will bat at number four. Before the team left for the charming hill town on Thursday, Rohit and Shreyas connected with the India team in Chandigarh. Nitish Kumar Reddy is probably going to bat at number six after KL Rahul, the team’s top wicket-keeper batsman, who is in the middle order.
Reddy’s batting prowess has never been questioned, but it’s unclear if he can reliably handle the ball as Hardik’s backup. Similar to Hardik, Reddy has experienced a number of injuries, and the selectors are eager to see if his medium pace would allow him to last ten overs. In the IPL, Reddy made an impression with both bat and ball, and he would want to duplicate that performance in one-day cricket.
In Dharamsala’s high altitude, the ball moves quickly, and the pitch typically provides respectable pace and bounce. Washington Sundar, an off-spinner, would be the team’s other all-rounder. Kuldeep Yadav, who has taken 194 wickets in 120 ODIs but hasn’t been playing well, is probably the second spin option.
Another spin option in the team is uncapped left-arm spinner and batsman Harsh Dubey. The pace battery is made up of Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna, with Prince Yadav or Gurnoor Brar potentially making their debut for their country as the third fast bowler. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah have both been rested from the series in order to manage their workloads.
Afghanistan is a much superior white-ball team, despite being outplayed in the one-off Test in India. The return of Rashid Khan, who temporarily stopped playing red-ball cricket due to back surgery, would help them. Additionally, veteran Mohammed Nabi will provide balance to Hashmatullah Shahidi’s side.
Afghanistan would be encouraged by their 2023 ODI World Cup performance in India, where they came close to reaching the semifinals. The ODI team now includes pacer Mohammad Saleem, who claimed six wickets in the Test in Chandigarh.
Players who were accustomed to playing in the sweltering heat of Mullanpur would be delighted to play in the cooler climate of Dharamsala, where the snow-capped mountains provide an amazing backdrop.
India vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head:
India has won three of the four One Day International (ODI) matches it has played against Afghanistan, while one match ended in a tie. In the ODI format, Afghanistan has never triumphed over India.
India vs Afghanistan Pitch Report:
The pitch of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala, usually provides a fair match. Fast bowlers frequently benefit from the surface’s good bounce and carry early in the innings before it flattens out and becomes great for batting.
India vs Afghanistan Weather Report:
Match day skies in Dharamsala are not the clearest. Although there won’t be a complete washout, the prediction for Saturday, June 13, is for temperatures of about 22°C, humidity levels of 51%, and sporadic rain in the area. This will keep spectators and ground crew on edge during the day-night match.
India vs Afghanistan Probable XIs:
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Saleem, AM Ghazanfar, Ziaur Rahman
FAQs:
When is the 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan scheduled?
The 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan is scheduled on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
What time does the 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan scheduled to start?
The 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan will start at 1:30 PM IST.
Where is the 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan scheduled to take place?
The 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala.
Which TV channel will broadcast the 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan?
The 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan will be broadcast on Star Sports Network.
Where can one catch the live streaming of the 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan?
The live streaming of the 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan will be available on JioHotstar.
