India vs Afghanistan first T20I: India opt to bowl first
India's cricket captain Shreyas Iyer opted to bowl first against Afghanistan in the first T20 International in New Delhi. The match marks the return of pacer Jasprit Bumrah to the Indian squad following his recovery from a knee injury.
Why it matters
The return of key players like Jasprit Bumrah is a major talking point for cricket fans and impacts the team's competitive prospects in international series.
India skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl against Afghanistan in the first T20 International in New Delhi on Sunday (September 13, 2026).
India preferred the experience of Sanju Samson over batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, while pacer Jasprit Bumrah returned to the playing XI after missing India’s recent assignments following the left-knee injury that ruled him out of an ODI in England and two Tests in Sri Lanka.
India also opted for specialist spinner Varun Chakravarthy ahead of seamer Yash Thakur.
"We've played quite a lot of matches here and looking at the conditions, we can bowl first. We had lots of positives from the Zimbabwe series and that's the attitude we'll carry," said Iyer.
On Bumrah's return to the side, Iyer said it was a huge boost for Idnia.
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