Team India achieved a commanding win in the first T20I of the three-match series against Afghanistan in Mohali and will be looking to seal the series in the second game in less colder Indore on Sunday, January 14. The match is set to witness a couple of changes for India with the Indian superstar Virat Kohli set to return to the format for the first time in 14 months.
Kohli missed the series opener owing to personal reasons but will walk in straight away in place of Tilak Varma at No 3. Another likely change will be at the top of the order in the form of Yashasvi Jaiswal since the left-hander missed the first game due to a sore groin. Jaiswal was confirmed as the opener for the time being by head coach Rahul Dravid and if fit, Jaiswal will replace Shubman Gill, who even though ran out captain Rohit Sharma a couple of nights ago, did score a rapid 12-ball 23.
The rest of the line-up is likely to remain the same, even though the team management might mull another tweak, this one in the bowling department. Since Mohali is a bigger ground, India could afford to play three spinners but in Indore where the boundaries are very small, a third pacer in Avesh Khan could be a possibility with Axar Patel and Washington Sundar being the two spinners.
However, the line-up that played in the opener suggested that the management might experiment with the XI throughout the series. But since Shivam Dube did all-round job for the side in the first game, Sanju Samson might have to wait for one more game for his opportunity. The rest of the line-up almost picks itself.
India's predicted XI for 2nd T20I against Afghanistan: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma(w), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi/Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar
