As the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi prepares to witness the opening tussle of the three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan, it brings along an intriguing subplot. While the two sides have a history of a near one-sided head-to-head in the shortest format, with India registering eight wins in the previous nine T20I meetings, including a Super Over thriller and one no-result, Afghanistan will be eager to start on a winning note and register their first-ever win against the arch-rivals.
India's 15-man squad for the series in Delhi includes a number of star names who have so far not faced Afghanistan in the shortest format.
Here are five players from India who will be up against the visitors for the first time this week
Shreyas Iyer
Leading the side for the series is Shreyas Iyer, a seasoned campaigner who curiously has not faced Afghanistan in his T20I career. The 31-year-old has had a prolific T20I campaign, aggregating 1,415 runs in 61 matches at an average of 32.15 and a strike rate of 138.04, including 10 half-centuries.
His experience also comes with a rich variety of opponents, as he has faced off against New Zealand 13 times, England 11 times, Sri Lanka 9 times, South Africa and West Indies 8 times each. India's captain has also played against Australia 4 times, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe 3 times each, and Ireland twice. From the front, Iyer guides his side as he looks to expand the list of opponents he has bested in T20I cricket.
Ishan Kishan
Dynamic wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan is set to face his first-ever T20I match against Afghanistan, as he continues his blistering T20I form of late. The explosive southpaw has compiled 1,608 runs in 55 matches at an average of 29.77 and a strike rate of 146.31, including one century and 12 fifties.
Kishan's T20I experience sees him take on a wide range of opposition, including 12 games against New Zealand, 9 against England, 7 against the West Indies, and 6 each against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Kishan has also squared off against Ireland and Zimbabwe 4 times each, Australia 3 times, and Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan, and USA once each. The big-hitter will be eager to unleash his power against the Afghan bowling attack for the first time.
Abhishek Sharma
Few openers are as damaging as Abhishek Sharma, as the left-hander has carved a niche for himself as one of the most dangerous opening batters in the shortest format. Sharma, who made his debut in 2024, has already amassed 1,629 runs across 56 matches at a phenomenal strike rate of 187.24 and an average of 30.73, with two centuries and 11 half-centuries to his name.
With a wealth of experience against the world's best, Sharma has faced off against England 11 times and South Africa 9 times each, Zimbabwe 9 times, New Zealand 6 times, and Australia 5 times. In addition, Sharma has also had the pleasure of playing against Pakistan and Bangladesh 4 times each, Ireland twice, and the Netherlands, Oman, Sri Lanka, UAE, USA, and West Indies once each. Delhi fans will be eager to see how Sharma tackles the Afghans' spin attack.
Varun Chakaravarthy
Varun Chakaravarthy is a mystery spinner that Afghanistan's batters will be looking to unravel in the shortest format. The 35-year-old wrist-spinner has been a consistent wicket-taker in the T20I format, picking up 74 wickets in 48 matches at a decent average of 17.36 and an economy rate of 7.67, with two five-wicket hauls and a four-fer in his bag.
Chakaravarthy's T20I experience spans across several quality opponents, playing 9 games against England and South Africa, and 5 games each against Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Chakaravarthy has also had the pleasure of facing off against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka 4 times each, and Namibia, Netherlands, Scotland, UAE, USA, West Indies, and Zimbabwe once each in the shortest format. The left-arm spinner's variations may come into play in the middle overs of the T20I series in the capital.
Also read: Afghanistan predicted XI vs India, 1st T20I: Rashid Khan leads spin-heavy attack
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a rising star in the T20I world, as he made his debut this year during the away series in England. The 15-year-old has scored 193 runs in 6 matches at an average of 32.16 and a strike rate of 189.21, including 2 half-centuries.
Sooryavanshi earned his place in the squad with 42 runs in 3 matches in England, before he was declared the Player of the Series for his 151-run ton in 3 matches in Zimbabwe at a strike rate of 196.10. While this series is set to provide a new challenge for the youngster, as he faces a shrewd Afghani bowling attack, it is unlikely that the teenager will be daunted.
Outside of the five standouts, India's strength in depth was also on display as players like Nitish Kumar Reddy (4 T20I appearances) and Yash Thakur (debutant) get their chance when the series gets underway in Delhi.