India's luck with injuries has been terrible, as yet another star batsman has been ruled out of the three-match T20i series against Afghanistan. Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya were already ruled out of the series due to injuries, but opening batter Ruturaj Gaiwad has been ruled out due to a finger injury he suffered during India's second ODI game against South Africa. But good news for Team India: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are back in the Indian T20I squad. Down below, Check out the full India squad against Afghanistan



The three-match T20i series against Afghanistan will start on Thursday, as the first T20i will take place on January 11. While Afghanistan has already announced their squad for the T20i series against India, the Men in Blue today announced their squad.



According to the news report on ESPNcricinfo, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav are expected to return to full fitness before the commencement of IPL 2024. SKY injured his ankle in the third T20i against South Africa while fielding, and he recently underwent ankle surgery. He is expected to return to training by February.



The T20i series against Afghanistan is the final T20i assignment of the Men in Blue before the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will start immediately after the end of IPL 2024. The selectors would have liked to have all the players available for selection, including Hardik Pandya, who got injured during India's group stage match of the 2023 ODI World Cup against Bangladesh in Pune.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">India announce their Squad for the T20i series against Afghanistan</h3>



The Selection Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Sunday, January 7, the 15-member Indian squad for the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have made their comeback to the shortest format, with Rohit returning as the captain.



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With the Test series against England set to begin right after the end of the T20 series against Afghanistan, there were doubts regarding the availability of main players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Siraj. The duo of Kohli and Rohit have not played any T20 internationals for India ever since the Men in Blue's exit from the T20 World Cup 2022 with a humiliating defeat against champions England in the semi-final. While Rohit and Virat are back, others such as Rahul, Siraj, Jadeja, and Bumrah have been rested from the T20i series.



Wicket Keeper Sanju Samson has also been included in the squad for the Afghanistan series thanks to the century he scored in the 3rd ODI against South Africa. It remains to be seen whether he will get preference over Jitesh Sharma or not as the first-choice wicketkeeper. Ishan Kishan has not been selected as he continues with the break he took before the Test series against South Africa.



India's T20i squad against Afghanistan: Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Tilak Verma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar.



Afghanistan?s Squad against India: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Rahmat Shah, Hazratullah Zazai, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Azmaullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, FazalHaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Rashid Khan and Gulbadin Naib.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">India vs Afghanistan T20I Series 2024:</h3>



<ul>
<li>January 11, 1st T20I, PCA Stadium, Mohali</li>



<li>January 14, 2nd T20I, Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore</li>



<li>January 17, 3rd T20I, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru</li>
</ul>



Read - <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-ms-dhoni-spotted-smoking-hookah-in-an-event-video-goes-viral/#google_vignette">Watch: Ms Dhoni spotted smoking Hookah in an event, video?goes?viral</a>



Visit the?<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICC OFFICIAL WEBSITE</a>?for more recent updates.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are back in the Indian T20I squad, Check out the full India squad against Afghanistan

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IND vs AFG: India team is on the road to the <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/groups-fixtures-confirmed-for-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2024" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/groups-fixtures-confirmed-for-icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2024">T20 World Cup 2024</a>. The tournament will be played in the USA and the Caribbean from 1st to 29th June. The Men in Blue won?t have much opportunity to play together as they will only be playing just one series ahead of the tournament.?



India will be lock horns with Afghanistan in the three-match series, to be played from 11th to 17th January. The three games will be an opportunity for them to get answers to most of the things and they would be hoping to look at the combination for the World Cup.&nbsp;



The senior duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back in the mix and will be part of the IND vs AFG series. They will be playing the format after 14 long months and it could well be an indication that they will be playing in the T20 World Cup 2024.?



Virat Kohli will be missing the first IND vs AFG T20I due to personal reasons but will be joining the team for the second game. Head coach Rahul Dravid confirmed that they will be opening with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first game.?



Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-afg-rashid-khan-to-miss-the-entire-t20i-series-against-india/" data-type="post" data-id="125154">IND vs AFG: Rashid Khan to miss the entire T20i series against?India</a>



But this doesn?t mean that they will be opening in future games. A report in the Telegraph has suggested that there could be a possibility that India might open with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and this could be their template for the T20 World Cup 2024.?



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Rohit and Kohli's opening could be a great tactic as it will allow them to fit youngsters in the middle order. The duo has a great record as openers and it could make a huge difference for the team and could allow them to win the title.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">IND vs AFG: Rahul Dravid keeps the option of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli batting at the top open&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/01/Rohit-Virat-1-1024x576.jpg" alt="IND vs AFG: Former selector explains why Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli were picked in Team India's squad for Afghanistan" class="wp-image-125088" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reuters Photo</figcaption></figure>



India head coach Rahul Dravid also was asked about the possibility of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opening. He, however, kept that option open and stated that they the duo has the ability and skills to be successful against any bowling lineup.?



The upcoming IND vs AFG series is likely to give a lot of answers ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. All the eyes will be on the team as to what combination they play in the first game.&nbsp;

IND vs AFG: Talks of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opening in T20Is under discussion - Reports

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Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20 International cricket after guiding India to a historic T20 World Cup title in 2024. Following India's thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa in the final, Sharma decided it was the perfect moment to step back from the shortest format of the game.



Here are some key reasons for his decision:



<ol>
<li>Achieving a Career Milestone: Sharma's primary motivation was the satisfaction of winning the T20 World Cup, a title he had long desired. Securing this victory provided a fitting conclusion to his T20I career.</li>



<li>Focus on Other Formats: By retiring from T20Is, Sharma can now concentrate on Test and ODI cricket, where he continues to play a crucial role for India. This decision allows him to manage his workload and prolong his career in these formats.</li>



<li>Passing the Torch: Like Virat Kohli, who also retired from T20Is around the same time, Sharma believes it's time for the next generation of players to step up and take on leadership roles in T20 cricket. This transition ensures a fresh perspective and new energy in the team.</li>
</ol>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/06/INDIA-TEAM-WIN-T20-WORLD-CUP-2024-938x1024.webp" alt="Team India celebrates the win in the T20 World Cup 2024." class="wp-image-142072"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Team India celebrates the win in the T20 World Cup 2024.</figcaption></figure>



Reflecting on his decision during the post-match press conference, Sharma said, "This was my last game as well. No better time to say goodbye. I wanted this trophy badly. It?s very hard to put in words. This is what I wanted and it happened. I was very desperate for this in my life. Happy that we crossed the line this time."



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2024/06/Rohit-Sharma-and-Jay-Hah-with-T20-World-Cup-2024-1024x677.webp" alt="Rohit Sharma and Honorary Secretary, BCCI Jay Hah with T20 World Cup 2024" class="wp-image-142071"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Rohit Sharma and Honorary Secretary, BCCI Jay Hah with T20 World Cup 2024</figcaption></figure>



Sharma's retirement from T20Is marks the end of an illustrious chapter in his cricketing career, characterized by significant contributions and leadership in India's journey to becoming T20 World Champions.

Rohit Sharma|Rohit Sharma and Honorary Secretary, BCCI Jay Hah with T20 World Cup 2024|Team India celebrates the win in the T20 World Cup 2024.

Why did Rohit Sharma retire from T20?

why-did-rohit-sharma-retire-from-t20

After suffering a humiliating defeat versus the Australian Cricket Team in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match, a lot of questions have started to raise on the duo of Rohit Sharma &amp; Virat Kohli. It's believed that both the players will retire from the longest format of the game post the conclusion of the ongoing 2024-25 BGT series but, have both of them really made up their mind to retire? 
Will the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy versus the Australia be the final Test-Series of Rohit and Virat? Former Indian Cricketer and Head-Coach has made a big prediction on this matter. 
<h2>'Kohli still has 3-4 years of Cricket left in him but...'</h2>
Ravi Shastri believes that the legendary Virat Kohli still has three to four years of Cricket left in him, but Rohit Sharma on the other hand is struggling with poor form and technique in red-ball Cricket. Therefore, the Indian captain needs to start thinking about his future. 
He said, "I feel that he (Virat) will carry on playing Cricket for a few more years. Forget the manner in which he's getting dismissed or other things, I feel he will play for atleast three-four years. As far as Rohit is concerned, he needs to take the tough decision. His footwork is not the same anymore".
<h2>What's going on with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma? </h2>
Regarding the poor form of Rohit Sharma in Test Cricket, Shastri said that he probably takes a lot of time while executing his shots at times. So he should take a big call after the ens of this series versus Australia. 
Apart from this, the former Indian Heach Coach also pointed fingers towards the problems in Rohit's batting-technique, especially in the way he moves his front-foot. He said, "We all have witnessed many times in this current series that his front-foot is not going towards the ball as it's supposed to. He needs to find a way to overcome these problems otherwise he needs to move away from Red Ball Cricket".
It will be interesting to see what kind of a decision both Kohli and Sharma take in regards to their future in the longest format of the game. 
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/on-this-day-in-2014-the-legendary-ms-dhoni-played-his-final-test-and-retired-from-the-longest-format-of-the-game/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On this day in 2014, the legendary MS Dhoni played his final test and retired from the longest format of the game</a>

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma of India chatting with each other in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match | Image: X (Tanuj Singh)

Former Indian Head Coach Ravi Shastri has given a big statement regarding the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Test Cricket

IND vs AUS: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will retire! Former Indian  Head Coach makes a big prediction

ind-vs-aus-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-will-retire-former-indian-head-coach-makes-a-big-prediction

The Indian Men's National Cricket Team is currently in Australia where they are taking part in the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Post the conclusion of the Australian tour, they will head back to Indian where they will be participating in a limited-overs Bilateral Series versus England, which will consist of five T20 International contests and three One Day International games. 
Ahead of England's tour of India, a big update has come out regarding the three-match One Day International series and it says that the duo of Virat Kohli &amp; Rohit Sharma are not going play in the Odds versus the Three Lions. Besides these two players, elite seamer Jasprit Bumrah will also miss the ODI series. 
The One-Day International series versus the Three Lions is the Men in Blue's final series before the commencement of 2025 Champions Trophy and this series will be acting as a preparatory ground for the 2023 ODI World Cup runners-up. 
The White Ball assignment versus the Jos Buttler-led team will start from the 22nd of January, 2025 with the five-match Twenty-Twenty series. Then the 50-overs event of three games will kick off from the 6th of February, 2025.
It's worth noting that both Virat &amp; Rohit have retired from the shortest format of the game and both will be seen playing in just the One-Day International matches but now that seems very unlikely too.
According to a news report of Sports Tak, the trip of Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli &amp; Rohit Sharma will be missing the England ODI series due to the workload-management policy of the BCCI. Bumrah will also be absent from the England T20 International series. However, official updates regarding the trio's participation are yet to be revealed. 
<h2>The 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will commence from the 19th of February</h2>
Let us tell you that the 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will kick off from the 19th of February, 2025. On the other hand, the white ball series between England and India will end on the 12th of February. Champions Trophy (CT) will be played under the 'Hybrid-Model' policy.
While Pakistan will be acting as the host country of the tournament, the Men in Blue will be playing their CT fixtures in the city of Dubai, UAE. If the Rohit Sharma-led team manage to qualify for the knock out rounds and advance to the final too, then one Semi-Final and the all-important Final will be played in the Dubai Cricket Stadium.
Do Read:

India's Jasprit Bumrah (R) celebrates with teammate Virat Kohli (C) and captain Rohit Sharma after taking the wicket of Australia's captain Pat Cummins during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between India and Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai | Image: Getty Images

The Trio of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma are set to miss the England ODI series ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

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WPL 2025: Playoffs Qualified Teams, Full Schedule, Venues and Live Streaming details

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virat kohli and rohit sharma