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After a convincing victory over Australia on Sunday, the Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, are facing Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. India’s first match was played on a Chennai pitch known for its unpredictable bounce, posing challenges for stroke-making.
For the game against Afghanistan, Team India decided not to include off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, in their playing XI. This decision reflects various considerations, including the conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Reason why R Ashwin is not playing today’s name
During the only match hosted at this venue so far, over 700 runs were scored. South Africa posted a formidable total of 428/5 while batting first, and Sri Lanka managed 326 runs in reply. Considering the high-scoring nature of the ground and the impact of dew in the evening, the Indian team management has decided to include seam bowler Shardul Thakur in place of Ashwin in their playing XI for Afghanistan clash.
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Indian captain Rohit Sharma shared insights into the decision at the toss, stating, “We were looking to bat second. We saw the amount of dew last evening. Don’t think the wicket will change much. We need to bowl well and come back to bat better. We were under pressure (against Australia) at the start, but KL and Kohli batted exceptionally well, and we take a lot of pride in our performance. It was a good game for us, and hopefully, we can maintain that momentum. Ashwin misses out, and Shardul Thakur comes in for him.”
India’s playing XI for Afghanistan clash
Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
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