India-Afghanistan ODI series begins today: Kohli and Hardik ruled out, rain threat in Dharamsala
Dharamshala. The first match of the three-match ODI series between India and Afghanistan will be played on Saturday at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala. The match will begin at 1:30 PM. This is the first bilateral ODI series between the two teams. India and Afghanistan have previously faced each other in tournaments like the World Cup and Asia Cup.
The Indian team will be without several key players in this match. Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya are out of the team due to injury, while Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have been rested. As such, young players are likely to get a chance. Fast bowlers Prince Yadav and Gurnur Brar could each make their ODI debut.
The weather may also play a role in the match. There is a 55 percent chance of rain in Dharamsala on Saturday. Being a mountainous region, the weather here changes rapidly, which could potentially disrupt the match.
India and Afghanistan have played four ODIs so far. India has won three of these matches, while one match ended in a tie. Afghanistan has yet to register an ODI win against India. The two teams last met in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where India won by 8 wickets.
In Virat Kohli's absence, the Indian batting will be led by captain Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul. Shubman has scored 625 runs in ODIs since 2015, while Rohit Sharma has 711 runs in 17 matches.
Kuldeep Yadav will be India's main weapon in the bowling department. He has taken 22 wickets in ODI cricket since 2025. Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh will look to provide early breakthroughs with the new ball.
Afghanistan will rely on players like Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, and Azmatullah Umarzai. Their biggest strength is experienced leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who has taken five wickets in three ODIs against India.
The Dharamsala pitch offers early assistance to fast bowlers, while batsmen find it easier to score runs later in the innings. In the nine ODIs played at the ground, the chasing team has won five times. Both teams will be looking to start the series with a win.
