Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah returned to the Indian T20I team as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad on Tuesday for the upcoming white-ball series against Afghanistan. India will play three matches against Afghanistan, all at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, between September 13 and 17.
Sanju Samson was not part of the Zimbabwe tour (AFP)
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Samson was not part of the tour of Zimbabwe in late July, where the selectors gave wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh an opportunity after his T20 exploits in the last two seasons of the IPL with Punjab Kings (PBKS), while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opened the batting for India.
While the BCCI did not state a reason for Samson's exclusion — whether he was rested or dropped — the decision came after a string of low scores on the tours of Ireland and England. He was subsequently dropped for the second T20I against England in Manchester, paving the way for Sooryavanshi's India debut.
Bumrah, meanwhile, has been picked for the T20I team for the first time since the World Cup final against New Zealand earlier this year in Ahmedabad. However, his participation is subject to fitness clearance. He injured his knee during the ODI tour of England in July and subsequently missed the Test series in Sri Lanka.
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Bumrah, meanwhile, has been picked for the T20I team for the first time since the World Cup final against New Zealand earlier this year in Ahmedabad. However, his participation is subject to fitness clearance. He injured his knee during the ODI tour of England in July and subsequently missed the Test series in Sri Lanka.
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All-rounder Hardik Pandya, however, has not been picked, with his return to the Indian side delayed. He has not been in action since the end of the IPL 2026 season after reportedly suffering a leg injury while training at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru earlier this year.
Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana have also been named for the series, although their participation is subject to fitness clearance. Both had suffered hamstring injuries.
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The rest of the squad remains the same as the one the BCCI picked for the Asian Games, which will be held in Japan in September.
The series is part of Afghanistan's Future Tours Programme and will be played in India, where Afghanistan have played their home fixtures in recent years.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Sanju Samson back, no update on Hardik Pandya as BCCI announces India squad for Afghanistan T20Is
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