Former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has picked India’s playing XI for the first T20I against Afghanistan. He picked Sanju Samson ahead of Vaibhav Suryavanshi as Abhishek Sharma’s opening partner. India will take on Afghanistan in three T20Is in Delhi, with the first game to be played on Sunday, September 13. Samson, Suryavanshi, Abhishek, and Ishan Kishan are the four opening options in the 15-member squad as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “The biggest burning question will be who you would field as your openers. Sanju’s Ireland tour wasn’t good, and you didn’t play Vaibhav there. England hadn’t gone bad, but you dropped him (Samson) before that. He didn’t go to Zimbabwe. Now that you have selected him, in my opinion, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson should be the openers.”
“Go back to them because Sanju hasn’t done anything bad. Abhishek Sharma also had a run of low scores, but we didn’t say anything to him. If we are asking him to play, we will have to say the same thing to Sanju. I know Vaibhav scored runs in the last series, but I will go back to Sanju Samson because I just can’t see Sanju sitting on the bench. Vaibhav Suryavanshi will have to wait. After that, Ishan Kishan at No. 3 – the same top three that played the World Cup. Suryakumar Yadav was at No. 4 in the World Cup. You will see captain Iyer here. Tilak Varma at No. 5, who is coming with great form,” he shared.
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In the same video, Aakash Chopra also added that Hardik Pandya’s unavailability presents Team India with a chance to play Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube together, with Axar Patel as the spin-bowling all-rounder as well.
“Since Hardik Pandya isn’t there, this is an opportunity for me to play both all-rounders, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube, together, and that’s what I want to do – one at No. 6 and the other at No. 7. I will bring Axar Patel at No. 8. I don’t need more batting depth than this. Then Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakaravarthy will be Nos. 9 to 11. You will have two spinners in Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel, two out-and-out fast bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, and you can get four overs from Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Abhishek Sharma also bowls a little now,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
Aakash Chopra’s India playing 11 for AFG vs IND 2026 1st T20I:
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy
