AFG vs IND 2nd T20I: Suryavanshi Set for Another Wait as India Target Back-to-Back Wins in Delhi

India will look to strengthen their grip on the three-match T20I series when they face Afghanistan in the second game at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

The hosts delivered a dominant seven-wicket victory in the series opener, producing an almost flawless performance on a familiar surface. Afghanistan were restricted to 156 in 20 overs before India raced to the target in only 13.4 overs. Abhishek Sharma was the star of the chase, smashing a breathtaking 82 off 32 deliveries to guide India to a 1-0 lead.

The Indian bowling attack largely kept Afghanistan under control, although the fifth-bowling option remained a slight concern, with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube sharing the responsibility.

Afghanistan will hope for a stronger response in the second match, but their spin-heavy attack could once again struggle if the Delhi pitch remains batting-friendly. Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman failed to make a major impact in the opener, while Abhishek took particular advantage of the lack of assistance, scoring 46 runs from 20 balls against spin.

Naveen-ul-Haq is available after returning from an injury layoff and could provide Afghanistan with an additional pace option. However, the fast bowler has not played competitive cricket since December 2025, leaving questions over his match sharpness.

India’s biggest selection debate remains at the top of the order. Sanju Samson managed only 10 runs in the opening game, while Abhishek ended his nine-innings wait for a T20I half-century in spectacular fashion.

That could increase the calls for Vaibhav Suryavanshi to be given an opportunity. The 15-year-old has already attracted considerable attention after making an impact during India’s T20I series in Zimbabwe, but he has once again found himself on the bench.

Former India cricketers Mohammad Kaif and Kris Srikkanth have questioned the manner in which Suryavanshi has been handled by the Gautam Gambhir-led team management.

Kaif suggested that uncertainty over India’s opening combination could be creating unnecessary confusion, particularly for Suryavanshi, who has done little wrong to warrant being overlooked.

However, India may resist making an immediate change and could give Samson another opportunity in the second T20I. A poor outing again, though, could make Suryavanshi’s inclusion increasingly difficult to ignore.

India have also been hit by an injury setback, with Varun Chakravarthy reportedly ruled out of the remaining matches in the series.

The spinner returned figures of 1/19 from his four overs in the first T20I and had only recently made his comeback after recovering from an injury sustained during the England tour.

Ravi Bishnoi is expected to come into the XI as his replacement. India could alternatively consider Washington Sundar if the team management prefers additional batting depth at No. 8.

Afghanistan are unlikely to press the panic button after just one defeat. Their focus will be on adapting to the conditions and getting more out of a core group that struggled to influence the opening game.

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

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

Delhi is expected to remain mostly clear around match time, although an afternoon shower is possible. With the second T20I scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm, the weather forecast suggests a good chance of a full match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.