After an emphatic seven-wicket victory in the first match, Shreyas Iyer-led India face Ibrahim Zadran’s Afghanistan in the second T20I of their three-match bilateral series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday, September 15.
Sanju Samson’s return to the top order failed to deliver fireworks in New Delhi, departing for a modest 10 off 8 deliveries. With only 43 runs across his last five T20I innings, pressure is mounting on the veteran keeper-batter. Handing Sooryavanshi an aggressive opening slot alongside Abhishek Sharma, who tore through Afghanistan’s attack with a 32-ball 82 – is tempting, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer are known to give players an extended run.
A win in the second T20I will wrap up the series with a match to spare, but selection debates around India’s top order and bowling balance dominate the build-up. Waiting in the wings is teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who dazzled during the Zimbabwe tour with Player of the Series honours.
Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who conceded just 16 runs in his 4-over spell in the series opener, has been sidelined by a side strain. 3 position with a measured 42 off 33 balls in the 121-run chase partnership with Abhishek. Despite Reddy and Dube proving expensive with the ball in Game 1, their power-hitting depth makes them vital fixtures in this setup. India Predicted Playing XI for 2nd T20I vs Afghanistan: 1. Abhishek Sharma 2. Sanju Samson (WK) 3. Ishan Kishan 4. Shreyas Iyer (C) 5. Tilak Varma 6. Nitish Kumar Reddy 7. Shivam Dube 8. Axar Patel 9. Ravi Bishnoi 10. Arshdeep Singh 11. Jasprit Bumrah Match Details Fixture: India vs Afghanistan, 2nd T20I Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi Date & Time: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 7:30 PM IST
The management is expected to hand Samson one more game to find his rhythm before considering radical alterations. The bowling department faces a mandatory switch. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi is poised to slot straight into the starting XI. Bishnoi’s flatter trajectory and sharp googlies will offer India a potent middle-overs strike option on Delhi’s traditionally batter-friendly surface. Top & Middle Order Ishan Kishan cemented the No. Captain Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma will marshal the middle order. All-Rounders: Axar Patel leads the lower order alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube. Pace Battery: Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh will do the fast bowling duties.
