IND vs AFG 1st T20I: Will Sanju Samson play today for India?

India begin their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on Sunday, September 13, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, with several selection calls likely to dominate the conversation before the first ball is bowled.

The biggest question is around the wicketkeeper-batter and opening combination, with Sanju Samson, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan all in contention.

The series also marks the beginning of Shreyas Iyer's tenure as India's T20I captain. India have plenty of firepower in the squad, while Afghanistan will pose a major challenge with their quality spin attack. The match starts at 7 PM IST, with the toss scheduled for 6:30 PM.

India have received a major boost with Jasprit Bumrah declared fit and available for the series. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar have also been cleared to play. However, Harshit Rana has been ruled out and Yash Thakur has been brought into the squad as his replacement. Afghanistan, meanwhile, will be led by Ibrahim Zadran, with experienced campaigners such as Mohammad Nabi and Naveen-ul-Haq back in the squad.

Will Sanju Samson Play Against Afghanistan Today?

Samson appears to have a strong chance of returning to India's playing XI, although the final decision is expected to come down to the combination at the top of the order. The management has to choose between Samson and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, with Ishan Kishan also in the wicketkeeping equation.

One argument in Samson's favour is experience. He has previously delivered at the highest level and was an important contributor during India's T20 World Cup campaign. Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane has also backed Samson to return to the top three, while Vivek Razdan has suggested that Samson could open.

Sooryavanshi, however, cannot be ignored after his impressive rise. The 15-year-old has already demonstrated his fearless approach, although he comes into this series after a demanding Duleep Trophy schedule. That could tilt the balance towards Samson for the series opener.

India Probable Playing 11 vs Afghanistan

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer (C), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.