Shreyas Iyer on Jasprit Bumrah’s return for Afghanistan T20Is

Indian captain Shreyas Iyer has backed Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, which begins on September 13 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Bumrah has been out of action since India’s ODI tour to England in July following a left knee injury. The fast bowler bowled at full intensity in nets on Thursday, demonstrating his readiness after the extended layoff.

Iyer addressed the importance of game time for players returning from injury during his pre-series press conference. He emphasised that confidence plays a crucial role when a cricketer comes back to competitive cricket after a spell on the sidelines.

“As a player comes out of an injury, it’s important that he gets game time, and you need that sort of confidence when you’re coming into the game,” Iyer said ahead of the series opener.

“He (Bumrah) has played so much cricket over the years, he’s immensely experienced, but at the end of the day, if you would ask me as an individual who’s coming out of an injury, I would want more game time and more confidence leading up to a certain tournament,” he added.

The Afghanistan series comprises three T20Is on September 13, 15 and 17, with all matches scheduled at Arun Jaitley Stadium despite Afghanistan being designated the home team. India’s squad includes several players returning from injuries, including Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, alongside Bumrah.

Sanju Samson also returns to the squad after missing India’s tour of Zimbabwe in July, while Varun Chakaravarthy is back in the setup. The squad selection reflects India’s preparation for the Asian Games 2026, with Bumrah now cleared for participation.

Squad depth and batting competition

Ishan Kishan is expected to be available despite a small issue during Thursday, September 12’s practice session. The batter experienced fatigue from his workload in the Duleep Trophy but is described as comfortable moving forward.

Competition for batting positions remains intense, with Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pushing for places in the top and middle order. Iyer highlighted the luxury of having multiple quality performers available for selection.

“Having them in the team is a luxury, first of all, and they’re flawless in their own departments. It is going to be a tight call, because they have been performing consistently,” Iyer said.

Role clarity and team requirements

Iyer stressed the importance of role clarity and team awareness in his squad selection approach. He explained that understanding individual positions goes beyond knowing the role itself.

“I like having a specific player in the right position. Every individual, rather than just knowing the role, it’s important that they should have the awareness of what the team requires of you,” Iyer concluded.

Afghanistan will be led by Ibrahim Zadran in the T20I format, marking a change in captaincy from the previous leadership structure. India’s squad will be captained by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma serving as deputy captain for the series.

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