Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s inexplicable absence from the playing XI is in focus as India skipper Virat Kohli tries to figure the combination that can bring his team’s floundering campaign back on track when it takes on a feisty Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (November 3). India’s run has been derailed after two crushing defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand and the performance that they have put in is not worthy of a semi-final spot even though mathematics keeps their hopes alive.
Afghanistan have expectedly won their two games against Scotland and Namibia and were in the contest against Pakistan for the better part before Asif Ali took the game away with four sixes in one over. In this backdrop, Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan would like to use all their might and T20 freelancing experience to add insult to the Indian injury and prolong the nightmare that started on October 24.
For Kohli, in probably his last three matches as T20 captain of India, one would expect some prudent team selections and it starts with the question of repeatedly ignoring a player of Ashwin’s calibre. It is unheard of in world cricket that one of the most decorated players among the current generation has been transformed into a glorified traveller since he last wore the national shirt in June.
Ashwin’s entry into the white-ball team after four years was indeed left-field selection and if sources are to be believed, it never had the Indian skipper’s approval. However, Kohli’s decision to not even consider him as an option is something that many in Indian cricket feel, ‘borders on stubbornness’ after Varun Chakravarthy’s inability to deliver under pressure proved what experience actually means.
Afghanistan will meet India at Abu Dhabi Cricket Stadium tomorrow 6:00 pm local time. Watch the big game, buy tickets and support AfghanAtalan. pic.twitter.com/HNCPO7T5zR
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) November 2, 2021
The opening duo of burly left-hander Hazratullah Zazai and the rotund and flamboyant Mohammed Shahzad, who lacks in footwork, might find it difficult to deal with Ashwin’s tricks. If Kohli once again chooses to keep the Tamil Nadu tweaker out of the mix, the ‘outside noises’, which the skipper often describes as ‘irrelevant’, along with ‘inside voices’, which he can’t ignore, will grow stronger that reasons are non-cricketing.
Afghanistan’s new ball bowlers – the experienced Hamid Hasan and young Naveen ul Haq – are certainly good but on their day, KL Rahul and Rohit could just send them on a leather-hunt. After two bad games, that’s exactly what they would want at a new venue (Abu Dhabi).
Teams (from):
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravichandran Ashwin
Afghanistan: Mohammed Nabi (captain), Hazratullah Zazai, Ahmed Shahzad, Gulbadin Naib, Naveen ul Haq, Rashid Kham, Hamid Hasan, Rahamnaullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Fareed Ahmed, Usman Ghani.
When and what time will the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan start?
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan begins on November 3 at 7:30 PM IST.
Where will the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan take place?
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan will be held in Abu Dhabi.
Which channel will telecast the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan in India?
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan will be available on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, and Star Sports Hindi
How to watch the live streaming of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan in India?
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 match between India vs Afghanistan will stream live on the Disney+Hotsar app and website.
