India vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I Predicted XI: Check who’s in and who’s out

Shreyas Iyer’s team India will lock horns with Afghanistan in the first of a three-match T20I series starting tomorrow at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi

Published: September 13, 2026, 7:40 AM IST

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India to play as away team against Afghanistan in Delhi(Photo: X)

India will begin their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, with the reigning T20 world champions looking to put their recent struggles behind them.

The Indian team returns to home conditions after an inconsistent run in T20IsThey swept Zimbabwe 3-0 in July but struggled during their tour of Europe, where Ireland and England both beat them in their respective series.

The top order will be under the spotlight once againAbhishek Sharma has struggled for runs in recent matches, while Sanju Samson’s place in the side has come under pressureVaibhav Sooryavanshi’s emergence has added another option at the top, while Ishan Kishan has strengthened his case for the No3 position with a strong run of form.

Also Read: Rishabh Pant set for ODI return? Team India face selection dilemma as Asian Games clash with West Indies ODI series

Kishan’s 270 in the Duleep Trophy final was the latest highlight in what has been an impressive period since his return to the national setupHis form could make it difficult for the team management to leave him out.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, have enough quality in their bowling attack to test IndiaTheir spin department remains one of their biggest strengths with several of their players having extensive T20 experience around the world.

Captain Shreyas Iyer will be hoping to start his home season off to a winning start as he also prepares to take his side to the Asian Games 2026 at Aichi-Nagoya.