Shubman Gill’s Team India are set to make some changes in their playing 11 after clinching the series in the third ODI vs Afghanistan in Chennai on Saturday.
Updated: June 20, 2026, 10:18 AM IST
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Harshit Rana at a training session in Chennai ahead of 3rd ODI vs Afghanistan. (Photo: IANS)
India vs Afghanistan 2026 3rd ODI: Team India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan and are expected to make plenty of changes to their playing 11 for the third and final match at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The BCCI selectors have added Harshit Rana to the ODI squad as he attempts to return from knee surgery after skipping the entire IPL 2026 season.
Apart from Rana joining the squad, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has also regained his fitness and is expected to return to the playing 11. With Reddy returning to the side, there was the possibility of Yashasvi Jaiswal getting dropped from the playing 11 again after scoring only 4 in the high-scoring 2nd ODI in Lucknow on Wednesday.
But Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate assured that Jaiswal will be given more opportunities to prove himself in the ODI side and won’t be judged on the basis of one knock. If Jaiswal retains his place in Chennai, then one between Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul will have to be ‘rested’ for the 3rd ODI match.
“I would still say the majority of these guys are bowling all-rounders. When Hardik’s fit, he obviously wins a different tournament because he’s such a strong batter, such a strong finisher. That sort of role is difficult to find a finisher who can give you runs as well,” Ryan ten Doeschate said about Nitish Kumar Reddy in the pre-match press conference in Chennai on Friday.
“Like I said with Nitish, for the last 18 months he’s shown glimpses of how important he can be to this team, particularly in this format. I feel his body’s getting stronger and I sort of feel he is the natural successor or backup to Hardik,” he added.
The pressure will also be on Kuldeep Yadav to retain his place in the side. Left-arm spinner and all-rounder Harsh Dubey was dropped for the second game after claiming three wickets on debut in the first ODI in Dharamshala.
“We always like to play a risk spinner or a mystery spinner. But certainly the way the game is evolving and the way guys go after the spin now, it’s the onus is back on the spinner to almost reinvent himself from time to time.
“Kuldeep as well as other spinners, especially having (spin coach) Sairaj (Bahutule) now to work with, they can work on a lot of tactical things and game planning and trying to come up with new ideas. I think Kuldeep is travelling nicely,” Ten Doeschate said.
With Harshit Rana returning, left-arm pacer bowler Arshdeep Singh is also set to be rested for the third game on Saturday. “If someone like Arshdeep does very well in the first two games, he can take a rest tomorrow. The same point is applicable to some of the batsmen,” Ten Doeschate said.
For Afghanistan, skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi will be hoping that his two star all-rounders Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai would have regained their fitness after missing the second ODI match. If Nabi and Omarzai do come in, then Darwish Rasooli and Bilal Sami will be the ones to miss out.
Back on the field,
Fit, hungry, motivated Harshit Rana on the comeback feeling – By @mihirlee_58 #TeamIndia | #INDvAFG | @IDFCFIRSTBank https://t.co/oBLW8x0PXL
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 20, 2026
India vs Afghanistan 2026 3rd ODI match Predicted 11
India: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer/ KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav/Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav, Harshit Rana
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Mohammad Nabi/Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai/Bilal Sami, Rashid Khan, Nangeyala Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mohammad Saleem
