After a long delay caused by persistent rain, the much-anticipated first ODI of the three-match series between India and Afghanistan is finally set to get underway at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. Winning the toss, India skipper Shubman Gill opted to field first under overcast conditions, hoping his bowlers could make the most of the assistance on offer.
The match marks a memorable occasion for two young Indian cricketers, as left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey and right-arm pacer Gurnoor Brar received their maiden ODI caps. Both players were included in India’s squads for the recently concluded Test and ODI assignments against Afghanistan but did not feature in the red-ball format.
Dubey enters international cricket with an impressive List A record, having claimed 31 wickets in 30 matches while also contributing valuable runs lower down the order. Brar, meanwhile, has picked up 12 wickets in his List A career and now gets an opportunity to showcase his talent on the international stage. The debut caps were presented by senior teammates, with KL Rahul handing the cap to Dubey and Gill presenting Brar with his first India cap.
India have also welcomed the return of Rohit Sharma, who is fully fit and will open the innings alongside Gill. With Virat Kohli ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury sustained during the Indian Premier League, Rahul is expected to take over the crucial No. 3 position in the batting order. Ishan Kishan will don the wicketkeeping gloves as India begin their ODI campaign against Afghanistan with a fresh-looking lineup and plenty of excitement surrounding the new faces.
Playing XI:
Afghanistan:
Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Saleem Safi, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
India:
Shubman Gill(c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan(w), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna
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