India vs Afghanistan Second T20I: Will Vaibhav Get a Chance Ahead of Sanju?
Having secured a convincing victory in the opening match to take a 1-0 lead, the Men in Blue will now be aiming to seal the series.
India will take on Afghanistan in the second T20I of the three-match series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 15. Having secured a convincing victory in the opening match to take a 1-0 lead, the Men in Blue will now be aiming to seal the series. India vs Afghanistan Second T20I: Will Vaibhav Get a Chance Ahead of Sanju?.
However, all eyes will be on India’s playing XI, with at least one change expected. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to injury, making a replacement inevitable. The bigger question, though, is whether there could be another change in the batting line-up.
Is This Sanju Samson’s Last Chance?
Despite receiving consistent opportunities, Sanju Samson has struggled to convert his starts into big scores. This has sparked speculation over whether the team management could hand a chance to young batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the second T20I.
However, it appears unlikely that Samson will be dropped after just one match. The management is expected to back him for another game, considering the crucial role he played in India’s victorious 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.
That said, Samson’s form has been a concern since the World Cup. He has managed only 43 runs in his last five T20 innings, and another failure could put his place in the side under serious scrutiny. The second T20I could therefore be his final opportunity to cement his spot.
No Changes Expected in the Batting Order:
Abhishek Sharma, who has been in impressive form, is set to continue as India’s opener. Ishan Kishan is expected to bat at No. 3, followed by captain Shreyas Iyer at No. 4. Vice-captain Tilak Varma is also certain to retain his place.
The middle and lower-middle order is unlikely to see any changes, as several players did not get an opportunity to bat in the series opener.
In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah will continue to lead the pace attack, while Arshdeep Singh, who claimed four wickets in the first T20I, is expected to retain his place. With Varun Chakravarthy sidelined due to injury, Ravi Bishnoi is the frontrunner to replace him in the spin department. Apart from this forced change, India is expected to field the same combination.
India’s Probable Playing XI for the Second T20I:
Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper)/ Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi.
