IND vs AFG 2nd T20I: India eye series win as fringe players look to impress

India’s Virat Kohli during a practice session in Indore on Saturday. Pic/PTI

A series win over Afghanistan is still not counted among the grandstand cricketing feats, but a clutch of players will be eager to achieve that here on Sunday in the second T20I as it can transform them into contenders from sidekicks.

India had won the first game at Mohali by six wickets to take a 1-0 lead.

It is then imperative for Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel to produce a defining effort against the Afghans to keep themselves within the selectors' sight as the move to find a perfect squad for the T20 World Cup gathers steam.

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June's big event

That India will not play another T20I series ahead of the marquee event in June increases the gravitas around their performance against Afghanistan.

Jitesh has all the reasons to place himself among the frontrunners as the wicketkeeper batter has overtaken Ishan Kishan in the pecking order since replacing the latter from the fourth T20I against Australia at Raipur last year.

The Maharashtra man has struck a couple of useful 30s down the order, but he would not have missed the need for a bigger knock to cement his claim.

In the often-fickle selection landscape of Indian cricket, Jitesh, at 30, would know very well that only constant performances can help him save that frontrunner status.

Tilak Varma offers a very similar case. The left-hander had made an excellent start to his T20I career last year, making 39, 51 and 49 not out against the West Indies in an away three-match series.

But since then, Varma has tapered off. The next 13 innings have produced only one more fifty, against a below par Bangladesh in the Asian Games, with three 20-plus scores and one 30-plus knock dominating the rest of the outings.

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However, it remains to be seen whether Varma can retain his place in the side as star batsman Virat Kohli is available for this match after skipping the first game.
After missing out on the 50-over World Cup with an injury, Axar now seems to be back in the thick of things in both red and white ball formats.

On Friday, the left-arm spinner was included in the India squad for the first two Tests against England, and he dished out a fine spell at the PCA Stadium on Thursday night as well - 4-0-23-2.

Task cut out for Sundar

So, the Gujarat man will be eager to weave on the pattern and contribute to a series triumph here. Sundar too has earned a recall, but has not set the stage ablaze so far on his return. He will also eye a change in the second match.

The hope in the hearts of Jitesh and Varma might just have received a fillip as the Indore pitch often provides plenty of assistance to batsmen, as they can expect a fruitful outing here.

But it mandates Axar and Sundar to be at their absolute crafty best. However, it will be immature to take this Afghan side for granted. The young Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai and the experienced Mohd Nabi can tear apart a bowling unit.

Despite the absence of star spinner Rashid Khan, the Afghans have the services of Mujeeb ur Rahman, who was in good rhythm in the first match.

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