Who should open for India in Afghanistan T20I series?
What's the story
Sanju Samson is back in India's T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, starting September 13. The wicketkeeper-batter will get another chance to reclaim his place at the top of the order after being dropped from the playing XI on the Zimbabwe tour due to three failures. His omission came despite him being named Player of the Tournament during India's T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year. Meanwhile, here we decode India's options for the opening slot for the upcoming series.
Squad changes
Sooryavanshi was fast-tracked into the senior side
Since India's T20 World Cup triumph, the team management has been shuffling the squad, especially at the top of the order.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was fast-tracked into the senior side after an incredible IPL season, which saw him score 776 runs at an incredible strike rate of 237.30.
The 15-year-old prodigy finished the recent Zimbabwe T20I series with two half-centuries and was named Player of the Series.
Strategic shift
Former India wicketkeeper suggests a Samson-Sooryavanshi opening pair
With Samson back and Sooryavanshi making a strong case for himself, India's opening combination is likely to remain a key talking point during the Afghanistan series.
Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta has suggested that it might be worth trying out an opening pair of Samson and Sooryavanshi.
He said on his YouTube channel, "I think we haven't seen the Sanju-Vaibhav combination yet."
Clarification
Give every combination and individual a proper chance: Dasgupta
Dasgupta clarified that he isn't advocating for the exclusion of any players.
He emphasized the importance of using the matches leading up to the 2028 T20 World Cup to try out different combinations and give players enough game time before making a final call.
"The idea is that before the World Cup, you want to give every combination and every individual a proper chance," he added.
Samson
Why Samson was dropped from the team?
Though Samson was the Player of the Tournament in India's T20 World Cup 2026 title-winning campaign, his recent form has not been stellar.
He was dropped for the Zimbabwe T20I series, having recorded scores worth 27, 1, 0, and 5 in his last four T20Is.
However, the wicketkeeper-batter's IPL 2026 season was impressive - 477 runs in 14 matches (SR: 165.62).
His 877 T20 runs this year have come at an average of 36.54 and a strike rate of 172.29.
Abhishek
Concerns over Abhishek's form
Though Abhishek Sharma is among the most destructive T20 openers going around, his recent form has been concerning.
The southpaw failed to score in double digits during India's tour of Zimbabwe.
He scored 131 runs in five T20Is against England at an average of 26.2 and just 49 runs in two matches against Ireland.
Despite these failures, Abhishek's T20I record remains stunning - 1,629 runs at an average of 30.73 and a strike rate of 187.24.
Conclusion
Samson might be unfortunate to miss out once again
As Sooryavanshi is unlikely to be benched after a Player-of-the-Series campaign, it will be a toss-up between Abhishek and Samson for the other opener's slot.
Though both batters have been struggling lately, the team management is likely to stick with Abhishek due to his game-changing ability.
Having said this, he would need to perform to keep Samson on the bench.