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India selects Sanju Samson over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for first T20I

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 13, 2026, 7:29 PM

Last updated Sep 13, 2026

India selects Sanju Samson over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for first T20I

Summary

India opted for an experienced playing XI in the opening T20I against Afghanistan on Sunday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was omitted from the squad alongside Washington Sundar and two other players to maintain a specific team combination. Sanju Samson assumed wicketkeeping duties for the match. Jasprit Bumrah returned to the lineup following a recovery from a left-knee injury, with Varun Chakaravarthy selected as a specialist spinner. After winning the toss, India elected to bowl first in conditions familiar to the team. Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran stated that Naveen-ul-Haq was unavailable for the series opener but may be considered for subsequent matches in the series.

Source Links

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Status Watch

•India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl first.
•Sanju Samson replaced Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the playing XI.
•Jasprit Bumrah returned to the India squad following a knee injury.
•Naveen-ul-Haq was excluded from the Afghanistan XI for the first match.
•The match is being held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Latest Updates

7:29 PMYahoo Sports — Why is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not playing vs Afghanistan in 1st T20I?

What they're saying

"
India chose experience in the opening game, with Sanju Samson selected in the XI instead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Shreyas Iyer also confirmed that Washington Sundar and two other players were left out, making it clear that team combination was behind the decision.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

India Afghanistan Sri Lanka England Cricket