• Source:JND
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IND vs AFG 1st T20I: Rohit Sharma-led India will start preparations for the T20 World Cup 2024 with the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on Thursday, January 11 in Mohali.

In the final battle before the showpiece event in the West Indies and the United States in June, India have the chance to check the balance of their squad in order to end the decade-long ICC title drought. Rohit and Virat Kohli have returned to the T20I side in time to prepare for the marquee event. However, Kohli will not be available for the series opener due to personal reasons.

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In his absence, youngsters will have the chance to get an opportunity and mark their place in the Men in Blue T20I side.

Players to replace Virat Kohli in India's playing 11 for 1st T20I vs Afghanistan

Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson are the front-runners to replace Kohli in India's playing 11 for the first game. Tilak, who scored a half-century in his second T20I, played in the last two T20I series against Australia and South Africa.

In the five T20Is he played during both series, his best score was 31 not out against Australia in Guwahati while in his last T20I against South Africa, he got out on a duck in Johannesburg.

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On the other hand, Sanju Samson returned to the T20I squad after months long hiatus. He last played the T20I match in August last year against Ireland where he played a knock of 40 runs in Dublin.

Both Tilak and Samson would look to grab the opportunity with both hands if given.

IND vs AFG 1st T20I Probable 11s

India Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Yadav/Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar

Afghanistan Probable XI: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (C), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad/Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.