2nd T20I: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have to wait as India seek another Delhi rout
In familiar conditions, India produced a near-perfect performance against Afghanistan in the first of a three-match T20I series in Delhi on Sunday. It was a much-needed confidence boost for the Men in Blue, who had assembled a full-strength squad for the first time since the T20 World Cup, with the Asian Games now just weeks away.
The second T20I between Afghanistan and India will be played from 7:30 pm IST on Tuesday. Sony Liv will provide TV coverage, while FanCode will offer livestreaming of the match in India.
After restricting Afghanistan to 156 in 20 overs, India rode on Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 32-ball 82 to chase down the target in just 13.4 overs and seal a seven-wicket win.
Barring the fifth-bowling option, which was shared by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube, India were in cruise control throughout the contest.
There has been very little turnaround time for Afghanistan, with the second T20I to be played at the same venue on Tuesday. Before the series, Afghanistan had seen an opportunity in their familiarity with the conditions, hoping it would add fuel to their bid to beat India in a T20I series for the first time. However, the batting-friendly conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Afghanistan’s designated home ground for the series, did little to aid their cause in the opener.
Afghanistan’s biggest strength, their spin-bowling group led by Rashid Khan, was nullified as the quartet of Rashid, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmed and Mujeeb Ur Rahman found very little assistance from the surface. Abhishek, in particular, was severe against the spinners, smashing 46 runs off 20 balls against them.
Afghanistan could continue to struggle if the conditions remain similar. They do have Naveen-ul-Haq, who has returned from an injury layoff, to add to their bowling firepower. However, it remains to be seen how much he can bring to the table, having not played competitive cricket since December 2025.TEAM NEWS: WHY SOORYAVANSHI MAY HAVE TO WAIT
India’s selection headache at the top will persist. Sanju Samson failed to make the most of an opportunity in the series opener, getting out for 10 even as Abhishek ended a nine-innings run without a fifty.
The man waiting on the bench, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, will be a difficult option to resist if Samson fails to score again on Tuesday. There is already noise on social media, with former cricketers Mohammad Kaif and Kris Srikkanth questioning the way Sooryavanshi has been handled by the Gautam Gambhir-led team management. Photo: PTI
While the 15-year-old was made to wait for his opportunity during the tours of Ireland and England, he has now been benched after three consistent games on the tour of Zimbabwe, a T20I series for which Samson was not picked.
"They are not sure about their best opening combination. The Indian team is still thinking about their openers. Vaibhav must have felt bad as he didn't do anything wrong. This could lead to confusion, which is not good for any team," Kaif told Cricbuzz after the series opener.
India might stick with the same opening combination, giving Samson another opportunity before considering a change.
On the bowling front, Varun Chakravarthy has reportedly been ruled out of the remainder of the series. He took 1 for 19 in his four-over spell on Sunday and even spoke to the press at the post-match press conference. However, on Monday evening, it emerged that the premier spinner had picked up another injury.
It is a concerning development for India, with the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner having only just returned to the team after recovering from an injury he picked up during the England tour. Photo: AFP
In his place, India will have to play Ravi Bishnoi, provided the team management does not lean towards batting all-rounder Washington Sundar at No. 8.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, will be looking to avoid hitting the panic button after just one defeat. However, their spin-bowling group is unlikely to be as effective on a flat Delhi pitch. Bringing in Naveen-ul-Haq is an option, but coach Richard Pybus was pragmatic about the need to get used to the conditions and back the core group that featured in the series opener.AFG vs IND, 2nd T20I PLAYING XIs
India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (capt), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmed, Fazalhaq Farooqi.DELHI WEATHER: RAIN THREAT TODAY?
Delhi is mostly expected to remain clear on Tuesday, although there is a possibility of a shower in the afternoon. During the match, which begins at 7:30 pm, wet weather is expected to stay away, allowing for a full contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.- EndsPublished By: Kingshuk KusariPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 08:45 IST
