The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, with Shreyas Iyer named captain and Tilak Varma appointed vice-captain.
The three-match Afghanistan vs India T20I series will be played in Delhi, with all three games scheduled at the same venue. The first T20I will take place on September 13, followed by the second match on September 15 and the third on September 17.
The BCCI confirmed the squad through an official release issued by Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia. Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, misses out on the Afghanistan T20I series as he continues to recover from a fitness setback. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have been picked as wicketkeeping options, while the bowling attack includes Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi. The inclusion of several young players also highlights the selectors focus on building depth in the shortest format. With Iyer taking charge and Varma serving as vice-captain, attention will be on how the leadership duo manages a squad combining established names such as Bumrah and Axar Patel with emerging talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Shreyas Iyer will lead the 15-member squad, while Tilak Varma has been named his deputy. The squad features a mix of experienced campaigners and promising young players, including Abhishek Sharma and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana* NOTE: * Subject to fitness clearance The series will begin on September 13, with all three matches being played in Delhi. 1st T20I – September 13, 2026- Sunday, Delhi 2nd T20I – September 15, 2026- Tuesday, Delhi 3rd T20I – September 17, 2026- Thursday, Delhi The series will provide India with an opportunity to test its T20I combination ahead of the upcoming international assignments.
Pandya has been advised to pause bowling during his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru after experiencing leg discomfort, according to a Times of India report.
