Afghanistan’s white-ball strength meets a new-era India in the Dharamsala ODI opener

The one-off Test was over almost before it began, India winning by an innings and 300 runs inside three days. The three one-day internationals that follow are a different proposition entirely. White-ball cricket is where Afghanistan have made their name, and the series opens at Dharamsala on June 13 with both sides knowing the gap that looked so wide in the Test could narrow sharply now.

A format that suits Afghanistan

Afghanistan arrive for the ODIs with their first-choice white-ball group, including Rashid Khan, who was rested for the Test. Around him sit the players who have troubled far more established sides over the past few years: Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran at the top, the experience of Mohammad Nabi and Rahmat Shah through the middle, and the all-round threat of Azmatullah Omarzai. Hashmatullah Shahidi leads a team that has long been more comfortable across fifty overs than in the longer game.

Rashid remains the man who can swing any one-day match on his own. His control through the middle overs is the kind of weapon that can put a brake on even India’s deep batting order, and Afghanistan will look to build their plans around him. This is the format in which they belong, and the Test result will count for very little once the white ball is in play.

A new era for India’s ODI side

For India, the series doubles as the start of a new chapter. Shubman Gill leads the one-day side with Shreyas Iyer as his deputy, a clear sign of where the selectors see the team heading. Virat Kohli misses out after picking up a hamstring injury in the IPL final, with Yashasvi Jaiswal called in as his replacement, while Rohit Sharma features as the senior figure in a group now built around younger names.

The batting still runs deep, with Gill, Rohit, Iyer and KL Rahul forming a strong spine. The spin department of Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar gives Gill plenty of control in the middle overs, and Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna lead the seam attack. On paper India remain clear favourites, but a new captain settling into the role against a side that loves this format is rarely as straightforward as the rankings suggest.

Three matches, and pride on the line

The series runs from Dharamsala to Lucknow on June 17 and finishes in Chennai on June 20, the opener a day-night affair at one of the most picturesque grounds in world cricket. For Afghanistan, it is a chance to remind everyone what they can do once the format turns in their favour, and to walk away from a chastening tour with something to show for it.

For Gill, it is an early test of his leadership and a useful look at the players who will shape India’s one-day future. Beat Afghanistan comfortably and the new era starts with a tick. Let them hang around and the questions begin a little sooner than India would like.

Follow every ball of the India v Afghanistan ODIs