India vs Afghanistan 2026 Official T20 Series Squad List – BCCI

September 1, 2026 Adesh Kothari Abhishek Sharma, Afghanistan Cricket Team, Afghanistan Tour of India, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Cricket, India Cricket Team, India vs Afghanistan, Ishan Kishan, Mayank Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Iyer, T20 Cricket, Tilak Varma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 5 min read

Updated on September 1, 2026: The India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 series squad has been officially announced by the BCCI. Several players earlier expected to be rested due to injury management have been included in the final squad, the article below has been updated to reflect the confirmed selection.

Back in the 90s and early 2000s, whenever India needed a filler bilateral series, Sri Lanka was the go-to team for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). But come 2026, Afghanistan is the new go-to team for Team India. The latest addition to the calendar is a 3-match T20 series starting September 13, squeezed in between the Sri Lanka Test series and the Asian Games.

Afghanistan is technically the “home” side for this series, but with India not touring Afghanistan for cricket, the matches will instead be played in Delhi, with all three T20Is scheduled for September 13, 15, and 17.

Team India has been dealing with a heavy injury list heading into this window, with several frontline players, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Reddy among them, managing fitness concerns in recent months. With that backdrop, there was real uncertainty over how many of them would be risked for a relatively low-stakes filler series. The official squad announcement has now settled that question.

India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Squad Explained

On the batting side, Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi have all been confirmed, continuing largely the same top order seen in the recent Zimbabwe series. Sanju Samson returns as a wicket-keeping option alongside Ishan Kishan, who continues as the primary gloveman.

The bigger story is the all-rounder and bowling groups, where the BCCI has opted for a stronger squad than many expected. Axar Patel leads the all-rounder pool as anticipated, but he’s joined by Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar, both included despite recent injury management, suggesting the team management is satisfied with their fitness. Shivam Dube rounds out the all-rounder options.

On the bowling front, the squad includes Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy, all three back in the mix after being widely expected to sit this series out. Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi complete the bowling attack, giving India a notably more experienced bowling group than the “second string” lineup many had projected for this fixture.

Hardik Pandya remains the one confirmed absentee among the previously injury-managed group, continuing his rehabilitation program.

India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Series Official Squad List

Batters

Abhishek Sharma
Shreyas Iyer (c)
Tilak Varma (vc)
Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Wicket-keepers

Ishan Kishan
Sanju Samson

All-rounders

Axar Patel
Nitish Reddy
Shivam Dube
Washington Sundar

Bowlers

Arshdeep Singh
Jasprit Bumrah
Harshit Rana
Ravi Bishnoi
Varun Chakravarthy

With several key players returning from injury management sooner than anticipated, this series looks stronger on paper than the “development squad” many had expected. It’s a good opportunity to gauge how close India’s first-choice group is to full fitness ahead of the Asia Cup/Asian Games cycle, while Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy and the balance of the bowling attack remain worth watching.

FAQs – India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Series

1. When will the India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20I series begin?

The three-match T20I series is scheduled to begin on September 13, 2026, with the second and third matches scheduled for September 15 and 17. The series is scheduled to be played in New Delhi.

2. Who could captain India in the India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 series?

Shreyas Iyer could captain India in the series, with Tilak Varma potentially serving as vice-captain.

3. Which major Indian players could miss the Afghanistan T20I series?

Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are among the key players expected to be unavailable. Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana and Nitish Reddy are also dealing with injury or rehabilitation concerns.

4. Who could replace Jasprit Bumrah in India’s T20I squad?

Arshdeep Singh is expected to remain one of India’s leading pace options, while Mayank Yadav, Prasidh Krishna and Prince Yadav could also be included in the bowling group.

5. Will Sanju Samson return to India’s T20I squad?

Sanju Samson could return to the squad as a wicket-keeping option, potentially replacing Prabhsimran Singh from the previous squad.

6. Could Vaibhav Suryavanshi feature in the India vs Afghanistan T20I series?

Yes. Vaibhav Suryavanshi is among the batters expected to retain his place and could get another opportunity to establish himself in India’s T20I setup.

7. Who could open for India against Afghanistan?

Abhishek Sharma is the obvious option, but the second opener is something you can discuss.

Also Read: Asian Games 2026: Strongest Playing 11 for Team India Revealed

Looking at the India vs Afghanistan T20 Squad 2026, what do you think is India’s best possible squad without Bumrah and Hardik? And who would make your playing XI? Email us your thoughts.