2nd T20I: Virat Kohli back as India drop Shubman Gill and Tilak Varma

Listen to Story Virat Kohli returned to action in T20I cricket for the first time since November 2022 as the former captain was named in India's playing XI for the 2nd of the ongoing 3 match series against Afghanistan in Indore. India also brought back young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for the crunch clash on Sunday, 2 days after he missed the series opener due to a groin strain.

| | Virat Kohli's return was much anticipated and all eyes were on who would make way for the star batter in the playing XI. India opted to drop Shubman Gill and Tilak Varma, the two middle order batters, to accommodate the returning stars. On the other hand, Afghanistan added another spinner to their XI as they brought back left arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmed to partner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal (In place of Shubman Gill), Virat Kohli (In place of Tilak Varma), Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar. : Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran (C), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Noor Ahmad (In place of Rahmat Shah), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen ul Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman..