Dominant India’s Depth Takes Centrestage as Afghanistan Fight to Avoid Whitewash

Big Picture: India Gunning for 3-0 Clean Sweep

The three-match One Day International series between India and Afghanistan has served as a compelling examination of India’s formidable depth. Even in the absence of star players like Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya, the Indian squad has aced this test with flying colours, wrapping up the rubber with a game to spare, to be played in Chennai on June 20. This dominance underscores the incredible talent pool at India’s disposal, a testament to their robust domestic cricket structure and the seamless integration of emerging stars.

A standout performer has been Ishan Kishan, who has effortlessly reintegrated into the ODI setup, delivering an explosive 125 runs off just 79 balls amidst the challenging heat of Lucknow. His innings was a masterclass in aggressive batting, setting the tone for India’s commanding performances. Equally impressive has been the lanky fast bowler Gurnoor Brar. Selected for his potential over more seasoned domestic players, Brar has fully justified the faith placed in him, leading the wicket-taking charts with an impressive six dismissals across the first two matches. His pace and ability to extract bounce have been crucial.

The series has also seen other young talents step up. Left-arm fingerspinner Harsh Dubey made a memorable debut in the rain-affected 25-over encounter in Dharamsala, showcasing his composure under pressure. Prince Yadav, despite an early setback of a front-foot no-ball denying him Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s wicket, quickly overcame this to play a pivotal role in helping India seal the series in Lucknow. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill continues his remarkable form with the bat, following up an unbeaten 84 off 66 balls as an opener in the first ODI with a magnificent 154 off 110 balls from the No. 3 position in the second game. These are ominous signs for Afghanistan, especially with India’s captain expressing a desire to bat deeper into the innings and a palpable hunger for more runs. The hosts appear perfectly poised to sweep Afghanistan 3-0, unless a moment of individual brilliance from a player like Gurbaz or Rashid Khan can dramatically alter the narrative.

Conversely, Afghanistan’s batting line-up has appeared increasingly brittle throughout the series. The absence of experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, who missed the second ODI due to a viral infection, further exacerbated their struggles. A broader look at their performance since the conclusion of the 2023 ODI World Cup reveals a concerning trend: Afghanistan possesses the second-worst run rate, trailing only Bangladesh, among the top-ten teams in the ICC’s current rankings, and the third-worst batting average within that elite group. This statistical context highlights the significant challenges the Afghan team faces in establishing consistent batting performances at the international level.

Form Guide

India: WWLLW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
Afghanistan: LLWWW

Team News: Reddy’s Return and Indian Experimentation

In a potential boost for the Indian side, seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who sat out the Lucknow ODI with a sore thigh, was seen bowling without any apparent discomfort during net sessions at Chepauk on Friday. His return to action in the third ODI would provide valuable balance to the team. Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal could also be given another opportunity to demonstrate his ODI capabilities after a relatively inexpensive dismissal in the second match. With the series already firmly in India’s grasp, Ryan ten Doeschate, India’s assistant coach, confirmed the team’s inclination towards experimenting with their combination, providing chances to players on the fringes.

Harshit Rana, having successfully recovered from knee surgery, has been added to the squad for the third ODI. However, India is unlikely to rush his return to top-flight international cricket, considering his last international appearance was in February of this year. The team management will likely exercise caution with his workload. Another key selection dilemma for India will revolve around their spin options, as they might have to choose between the left-arm fingerspin of Harsh Dubey, who impressed on debut, and the left-arm wristspin of the more experienced Kuldeep Yadav.

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill (capt), 4 Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Shreyas Iyer/KL Rahul, 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Kuldeep Yadav/Harsh Dubey, 9 Gurnoor Brar, 10 & 11 Two among Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana

For Afghanistan, the potential returns of Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai from illness and injury, respectively, would significantly bolster their playing XI. John Mooney, the Afghanistan fielding coach, indicated that both players are being closely monitored and are nearing a return to action. The visitors, however, opted not to train at Chepauk on the eve of the match, a decision that might raise some eyebrows given their current series standing.

Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Sediqullah Atal, 4 Rahmat Shah, 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 6 Mohammad Nabi/Darwish Rasooli, 7 Azmatullah Omarzai/Bilal Sami, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Nangeyala Kharoti, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Mohammad Saleem

In the Spotlight: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rashid Khan

Yashasvi Jaiswal, a name that would be a certainty at the top of the order for most other white-ball international teams, finds himself in a uniquely competitive position within the Indian setup. India’s batting arsenal is so incredibly stacked with top-order options that Jaiswal was previously left on the sidelines even after smashing an unbeaten 116 against a formidable South African attack, including Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, and Keshav Maharaj, in Vizag last December. The upcoming fixture presents yet another crucial opportunity for him to cement his place in the selection frame, especially with the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon. A strong performance here could be vital for his long-term prospects.

On the other side, Rashid Khan continues to stand out as a beacon of excellence. In an Indian Premier League season that largely proved unkind to spinners, Rashid’s performances for Gujarat Titans were exceptional, culminating in him being the only spinner among the top-ten wicket-takers in the 2026 season. Even on the flat track of Lucknow, where India amassed a colossal 402 runs, Rashid held his own, delivering economical spells. However, Afghanistan desperately needs more than just economy from their spin maestro. With their rookie spinner AM Ghazanfar yet to find his rhythm in this series, the pressure on Rashid to pick up crucial wickets and turn the tide in Afghanistan’s favour has intensified considerably. His ability to produce something special with both bat and ball will be key to Afghanistan’s hopes of avoiding a whitewash.

Pitch and Conditions

The final ODI is scheduled to be played on pitch number 4 at Chepauk, which is a red-soil surface. These types of pitches are renowned for offering substantial bounce, which could prove beneficial for fast bowlers capable of hitting the deck hard and extracting assistance from the surface. While Chennai experienced some showers two days prior to the match, the weather on the eve of the game was clear and bright, indicating favourable playing conditions for Saturday. However, another hot afternoon, typical of Chennai’s climate, could necessitate multiple drinks breaks, as was observed in Lucknow, and will undoubtedly test the physical endurance and fitness levels of all players involved on match day.

Stats and Trivia

The series has already produced some interesting statistics and trivia:

• Gurnoor Brar has etched his name in the record books as only the second Indian bowler, after Piyush Chawla, to claim three or more wickets in each of his first two men’s ODIs. Chawla famously achieved this feat in his first three ODIs.
• Ishan Kishan’s aggressive approach is reflected in his impressive ODI strike rate of 107.69 after 29 games, which ranks him as the third-highest for India, trailing only Yusuf Pathan (113.60) and Hardik Pandya (110.89).
• Afghanistan has faced India six times in ODI cricket, with their most notable result being a thrilling tie in Dubai during the 2018 Asia Cup, showcasing their capability to challenge top teams.

Reflections from the Camps

Reflecting on his remarkable journey to the senior side, Gurnoor Brar expressed his satisfaction with the India A setup, stating, “The India A set-up is obviously a big thing for me. If we perform in the Ranji Trophy, we get picked for India A, Duleep Trophy or the Irani Cup. When I got the call-up for India A, I was very happy.” His words highlight the importance of domestic pathways in nurturing talent for international cricket.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s fielding coach, John Mooney, candidly addressed the team’s struggles across all departments, stating, “From a bowling point of view, we’ve bowled too many boundary balls, so we need to figure out what the right length is. In the last game, it was really poor bowling at times and quality players will put it away. We also lost wickets in pairs and didn’t have partnerships.” His honest assessment underscores the comprehensive challenges facing Afghanistan as they head into the final match.