IND vs AFG 1st ODI predicted playing XI: India’s No. 3 dilemma between Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- India assistant coach Morne Morkel has confirmed the No. 3 batting position is up for grabs, with Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal all in the frame for the role
- KL Rahul is expected to retain his role at No. 5, where he has been batting consistently and keeping wicket for India in ODIs
- Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli are both unavailable for the series, opening up spots in India’s middle order against Afghanistan
India’s No. 3 dilemma between Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul
India’s three-match ODI series against Afghanistan offers Shubman Gill’s side an ideal opportunity to settle some key batting questions ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. The most pressing of those concerns the No. 3 position, a slot India has been unable to fill with consistency since Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket.
India assistant coach Morne Morkel addressed the uncertainty at the pre-match press conference, confirming that the team will use this series to try out multiple middle-order combinations. His comments represent a clear signal that nothing is set in stone heading into the first ODI at HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala, on Saturday.
MORE:How to watch IND vs AFG ODI series 2026 live
“In terms of that number three slot, that’s something that in this series we’ll play around with. Even if it’s Ishan or KL or Yashasvi, it’s a nice opportunity now. We’ve got a couple of one-day games coming up and we’ll give guys opportunity in different slots,” Morne Morkel said.
Why Ishan Kishan gets the nod over Rahul and Jaiswal
Of the three candidates, Ishan Kishan appears the likeliest to take the No. 3 slot for the first ODI at Dharamsala. The left-hander is making an ODI comeback and offers a different dimension to India’s top order, with his attacking intent capable of putting pressure on opposition bowlers early in the innings.
Yashasvi Jaiswal remains an option but is more naturally suited to opening and could be held back, while KL Rahul is better served staying at No. 5, a position where he has established himself with consistent performances for India. His wicket-keeping role and ability to anchor innings while accelerating in the death make him ideal at that spot in the order.
IndiapredictedXIvsAfghanistan (1stODI)
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Harsh Dubey
AfghanistanpredictedXIvsIndia (1stODI)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad
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