India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Series Best Predicted Squad List

August 19, 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

With Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya not available, explore the India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Series Best Predicted Squad List.

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. And the latest filler series that India decided to add is the 3-match T20 series starting September 13. With plenty of gap between the Sri Lanka Test series and the Asian Games, BCCI decided to add this T20 series, which will supposedly be hosted by Afghanistan, but in India.

Yes, Afghanistan will be hosting the 3-match T20 series, but it will be played in Delhi. Usually, the home team hosts the series in thier home ground. But since India doesn’t travel to Afghanistan to play cricket, Delhi has now become the hosting ground for Afghanistan for the entire series. The series starts on September 13 2026, with the second and third T20Is being played on September 15 and 17, respectively.

This will be an interesting series as Team India might continue with almost the same squad that played against Zimbabwe, albeit with a few changes. Team India is already going through tons of injury issues, with players like Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy, etc., under rehabilitation programs. With so many injury issues, let’s look at the India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Series Best Predicted Squad List.

India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Squad Explained

The first and foremost thing is: who are the likely players that will continue for the Afghanistan series as well. Well, we start with batters, and we have Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi as likely squad batters. In terms of wicket-keepers, Sanju Samson should be back in place of Prabsimran SIngh, and Ishan Kishan should continue to be the primary wicket-keeper of the squad.

Coming to All-rounders, India would be without Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy. With three primary All-rounders missing, and a lack of good-quality options available, we should see Axar Patel as the leading all-rounder, with Shivam Dube and Suryansh Shedge as the supporting All-rounders. There could be a possibility of seeing Harsh Dubey as the fourth All-rounder, but if at all he is selected, it will be at the expense of Rinku Singh.

Coming to the bowlers, India will be without three primary bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy. With these three missing, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Prince should be the four pacers, and Ravi Bishnoi as the sole spinner in the squad. While Bishnoi looks like an automatic selection for now, India will be better off if Kuldeep Yadav gets a nod ahead of Bishnoi.

India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20 Series Best Predicted Squad List

Batters

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

Wicket-keepers

Ishan Kishan
Sanju Samson

All-rounders

Axar Patel
Shivam Dube
Suryansh Shedge

Bowlers

Arshdeep Singh
Mayank Yadav
Prasidh Krishna
Prince Yadav
Ravi Bishnoi

The India vs Afghanistan T20I series could be more important than it initially appears, particularly with several senior players unavailable. It gives India an opportunity to test its bench strength while giving players such as Vaibhav Suryanshi, Suryansh Shedge and Mayank Yadav another chance to establish themselves. Shreyas Iyer’s leadership will also be an interesting subplot, while the selection between Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav could be one of the key calls for the selectors. With the Asia Cup/Asian Games cycle approaching, this could be a valuable series for India to identify its next layer of T20I options

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.