IND vs AFG 1st ODI: Shubman Gill wins toss, elects to bowl first against Afghanistan

Shubman Gill (Pic: X/@BCCI)

In the first ODI match against Afghanistan, Team India's skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.

The match has been reduced to a 25-over game each side due to rain delay.

The "Men in Blue" have entered the clash with two debutants. Harsh Dubey and Gurnoor Brar are set to make their debut in Dharamshala. On the other hand, Team India's veteran batsman Rohit Sharma will be back in action and will be eager to make crucial contributions for the hosts. Rohit will also become the oldest player to represent India in One-Day Internationals. At the age of 39 years and 44 days, the right-handed batsman will surpass Mohinder Amarnath's record of 39 years and 36 days.

After winning the toss, Team India's skipper Gill said, "We've decided to bowl first. The conditions are slightly overcast, which could offer some assistance to the bowlers. The pitch looks solid and good for batting, though the pacers might find something early on. Our focus right now is experimenting with different combinations to see what suits us best. With around 15-20 ODIs lined up before the World Cup, this phase is about testing options. Today, we're handing debuts to two players. Jaiswal, Prince, and Kuldeep won't be part of this match".

On the other hand, Afghanistan's captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said, "Had we won the toss, we too would have chosen to bowl first. But since the toss isn't in our control, it's important that we begin strongly right from the outset. We've performed well in recent times, though this is our first experience facing India in their home conditions, which makes it a tough contest for both sides. We're excited about the challenge and hopeful of doing well here. Our team balance includes three seamers and three spinners - specifically, two frontline seamers, one all-rounder, and three spinners".

IND vs AFG 1st ODI: Confirmed Playing XI

India: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar.

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Rashid Khan, Mohammad Saleem, AM Ghazanfar, Ziaur Rahman.