Why is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not playing for India in the first T20I against Afghanistan tonight?

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is in contention to feature for India against Afghanistan. | Photo Credit: PTI

India will begin its preparations for the Asian Games with a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan beginning on September 13 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

Coming into the series, one area of uncertainity for India will be who opens the batting. India has named three openers — Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Sanju Samson — in its squad, meaning that one of them must be left out.

Abhishek and Sooryavanshi opened in India’s last series in Zimbabwe, when Samson was rested. All three openers played during India’s series against England prior to that.

Having been a consistent performer at the top of the order for India, Abhishek is expected to be a lock as one of the openers though his recent form has been patchy, with Sooryavanshi and Samson fighting it out for the other.

Ahead of the match, captain Shreyas Iyer was tight-lipped about the team combination, saying, “It’s going to be a tight call because they have been performing consistently.”

“For the players sitting outside, it’s important that I have an interaction with them along with the coach, and give them that confidence that, no matter what, they will get their opportunity when the day comes.”