AFG vs IND 2nd T20I: Vaibhav Suryavanshi Faces Wait as India Eye Another Dominant Win in Delhi

India made an emphatic start to their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, cruising to a seven-wicket victory in Delhi on Sunday.

The commanding performance offered a timely confidence boost to the Men in Blue, who have reunited with a full-strength squad for the first time since the T20 World Cup, with the Asian Games approaching.

After restricting Afghanistan to 156 for 6 in their 20 overs, India made light work of the chase. Abhishek Sharma provided the fireworks, smashing 82 off just 32 balls as India reached the target in 13.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead.

The only area that offered India some concern was the fifth-bowling option, which was split between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube. Apart from that, the hosts remained firmly in control for most of the contest.

The turnaround is quick, with the second T20I scheduled at the same venue on Tuesday. Afghanistan had hoped their familiarity with Delhi’s conditions would give them an advantage and help them achieve their first-ever T20I series win over India. However, the batting-friendly surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which is serving as Afghanistan’s designated home venue, worked against them in the series opener.

Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack was unable to make an impact on the flat surface. Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman struggled to extract much assistance from the pitch, while Abhishek was particularly destructive against spin, collecting 46 runs from just 20 deliveries.

If the pitch plays similarly on Tuesday, Afghanistan could once again find themselves under pressure. They do have fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq available after recovering from injury, but his match readiness remains uncertain. Naveen has not played competitive cricket since December 2025.

Team News: Will Vaibhav Suryavanshi Get His Chance?

India’s opening combination remains the biggest selection talking point. Sanju Samson could manage only 10 in the first T20I, while Abhishek Sharma finally ended a nine-innings wait for a half-century in spectacular fashion.

Waiting for his opportunity is 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose exclusion has already sparked debate. If Samson fails again on Tuesday, the pressure to hand Suryavanshi a chance is likely to intensify.

Former India players Mohammad Kaif and Kris Srikkanth have also questioned the handling of the teenage batter. Suryavanshi was made to wait during India’s tours of Ireland and England before featuring in three successive matches in the Zimbabwe series, where Samson was not part of the squad. He has now been left out again.

“Vaibhav must have felt bad as he didn’t do anything wrong. This could lead to confusion, which is not good for any team,” Kaif said while discussing India’s opening combination after the first T20I.

Despite the growing calls for Suryavanshi’s inclusion, India could opt to retain the same combination and give Samson another opportunity before making a change.

Varun Chakravarthy Ruled Out

India have also suffered an injury setback ahead of the second match. Varun Chakravarthy has reportedly been ruled out for the remainder of the series after picking up another injury.

The spinner had delivered an economical spell of 1/19 in the opening game and even attended the post-match press conference. His latest setback is particularly concerning because he had only recently returned after recovering from an injury sustained during the England tour.

Ravi Bishnoi is the likely replacement, although India could also consider Washington Sundar if they want additional batting depth at No. 8.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, are unlikely to make wholesale changes after just one defeat. Their spin attack could again face a difficult challenge if the Delhi pitch remains flat, while Naveen-ul-Haq remains an option for the bowling unit.

Coach Richard Pybus has indicated that Afghanistan need to adapt to the conditions rather than panic after the opening loss and will be keen to see the core group respond in the second game.

AFG vs IND 2nd T20I: Probable Playing XIs

India: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Delhi Weather Forecast

The weather is expected to remain largely favourable for the second T20I. Delhi could see a passing shower during the afternoon, but rain is not expected to cause significant disruption during the match.

With the game scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm, conditions should remain suitable for a full contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.