10 June,2026 03:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Piyush Chawla (Pic: File Pic)
Team India is all set to clash against Afghanistan in the three-match ODI series, which will begin from June 13. The first game scheduled to be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.
Ahead of the series, Team India will miss out on the services of star batsman Virat Kohli and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Both players have been ruled out of the entire series as they have sustained injuries.
Speaking about the series, former Team India cricketer Piyush Chawla feels that veteran opening batsman Rohit Sharma will be one of the main players for the hosts. He also said that the right-handed batsman will be looking to deliver performances in home conditions.
"Rohit Sharma is the main man for India in this ODI series. He only plays one format now, so his game time matters. With Virat not in the squad, more responsibility falls on Rohit's shoulders. He will be keen to deliver, especially in home conditions. The 2027 World Cup is still far away, but preparation starts early," he said on JioHotstar.
The former cricketer then said that Nitish Kumar Reddy could also play a crucial role in the series, as he has honed his skills. He concluded by saying that the time is right to provide opportunities to young players, by keeping the ODI World Cup 2027 requirements in mind.
"In the conditions expected for that tournament, which may offer pace and bounce, Nitish Kumar Reddy could also be a big part of the plans. In this year's IPL, he has improved a lot. His speed has increased, he has more variations, and he is picking up wickets. So, we need to keep an eye on him and others like him. Harsh Dubey should also get a game or two in this series. He has done well in the Ranji Trophy and the IPL. This is the right time to give young players a chance and see how they fit into the bigger picture for 2027," said Chawla.
The second ODI match between the teams will be played on June 17 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground in Lucknow, followed by the third game on June 20 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (WK), Kuldeep Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (WK), Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Shuman Gill (C), Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harsh Dubey, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav.
Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Fareed Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Abdul Rasooli, Nangeyalia Kahrote, Qais Ahmad, Ziaur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Bilal Sami, Mohammad Saleem, Allah Ghazanfar, Bashir Ahmad.
