Sanju Samson Returns to Indian T20 Squad for Afghanistan Series

Sanju Samson's Inclusion in the T20 Squad

Sanju Samson has secured a place in the Indian cricket team for the upcoming T20 series against Afghanistan. Alongside him, openers Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma have also been selected. This decision follows Samson's exclusion from the squad for the tour to Zimbabwe.

Team Leadership and Fitness Updates

Shreyas Iyer will take on the role of captain for this series, while Hardik Pandya has not been included due to ongoing recovery from an injury. Additionally, players Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana have been named but will only join the final lineup after passing fitness evaluations.

Bumrah's Comeback and Series Details

Under Iyer's leadership, Tilak Varma will serve as vice-captain. Notably, this series marks the return of pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Hardik Pandya last represented India during the T20 World Cup final earlier this year, with his last game being an IPL match on May 24. He has missed tours to Ireland and England due to injury and reportedly re-injured his knee during rigorous training at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bangalore, which halted his bowling temporarily. The three-match series is scheduled to commence on the 13th of this month, with all matches taking place in Delhi.

Complete Indian Squad for the T20I Series

The Indian squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan includes: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson (Wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicket-keeper), Tilak Varma (Vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*.