There is a high possibility of Ishan Kishan batting at number 3 and KL Rahul getting shifted, once again, down the order. Read the full report
Published: June 12, 2026, 9:11 PM IST
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India’s Ishan Kishan during a practice session ahead of the first ODI match between India and Afghanistan at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Friday, June 12, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
There is a strong indication that Ishan Kishan could be keeping the wickets for India in the 3-match ODI series against Afghanistan starting from tomorrow. The 1st one-day will take place at the scenic HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala from 1:30PM (IST) onwards. This home series will help the Men in Blue prepare for the away white-ball tour of Ireland and England over the next two months.
The biggest headline is, of course, Virat Kohli’s absence due to a hamstring injury but what has surprised everyone the most is the possibility of Ishan Kishan taking over the wicket-keeping reigns from regular keeper KL Rahul who has thrived in this role for the last 3 years or so. However, it is looking likely that Rahul will be relieved of his duty for the series against Afghanistan.
The speculation rose after Ishan Kishan was spotted carrying out wicket-keeping drills during the only practice session at Dharamshala on Friday. While Kishan was going about his wicket-keeping drills, Rahul was seen taking high catches in the outfield of the scenic stadium.
Virat Kohli’s absence from the series due to an injury has allowed India to try out players at number three spot. Rahul could see a change in his role with the bat despite being settled nicely in the middle-order, specifically number five, over the last four years.
There is a high possibility of Ishan Kishan batting at number 3 and KL Rahul getting shifted, once again, down the order. India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel himself confirmed that Rahul, Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal are among the top contenders to replace Virat Kohli at 3.
“In terms of that number three slot, that’s something that in this series we’ll play around with. Even if it’s Ishan or KL or Yashasvi, it’s a nice opportunity now. We’ve got a couple of one-day games coming up and we’ll give guys opportunity in different slots,” Morne Morkel said in the press conference on Friday.
When and where to watch India Vs Afghanistan 1st ODI match?
The 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan will start from 1:30PM (IST) onwards at the scenic HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.
India Vs Afghanistan ODI series: Squads
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Darwish Rasooli, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.
