Trial by spin awaits India as 'host' Afghanistan eye first-ever win

New Delhi: If there was anything that betrayed the kind of pitch that will be dished out during the first T20 International on Sunday at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground, it were the two unknown net bowlers that Afghanistan hired and faced along with the bowlers of their squad.

Mausam Dhakal, a Nepali leg-spinner in the mould of Rashid Khan, and Ritesh Keshri, an off-spinner who calls himself mystery spinner, bowled quite a number of overs through the evening as the Afghan batters tried to hoist them far over the boundary.

The pitch will aid some spin, as per those in the know of things. The presence of Dhakal and Keshri rubber-stamped the information.

Dhakal has been part of the Nepal team but is currently out of it and is looking to plough his way back by training in Gurugram while Ritesh couldn't get an opportunity for Jharkhand and is planning a move to Puducherry. Unlike the Afghans, the Indians have used local Delhi team pace bowlers in the nets.

The spin-heavy strategy - especially with Afghans possessing experienced spinners -- may make the role of Shreyas Iyer important. He is among the better players of spin in the Indian cricket team.

Iyer, who had a poor start to his T20I captaincy career as he lost the series against Ireland, comes into this series following a 3-0 win over Zimbabwe. But this will be his first real test. Afghans are a settled and good white ball team even though they have not won a single international game against India. Up until now, the two teams have faced off in nine T20Is with India winning seven, tying and one ending as a No Result.

This team under a new captain -- Suryakumar Yadav was removed from captaincy post T20 World Cup this year -- will provide the brightest opportunity to Afghans to get their first win over India under their belt as it is finding its feet.

Iyer will count on Jasprit Bumrah, the best white ball pace bowler in today's cricket. Bumrah didn't play the Ireland T20Is and got injured after two ODIs in England. His absence was felt in Ireland.

Usually, Bumrah would have been rested from such a bilateral series as India would want to preserve him for the ODI World Cup next year. However, Iyer said on Saturday that they want the pace bowler to get some game time to get into rhythm. It should be remembered that Bumrah will participate in the Asian Games too.

"See, as a player comes out of an injury, it's important that he gets game time, and you need that sort of confidence when you're coming into the game. He has played so much of cricket over the years, he's immensely experienced, but at the end of the day, if you would ask me as an individual who's coming out of an injury, I would want more game time and more confidence leading up to a certain tournament," said Iyer during the presser at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, a day before the match.

"I interacted with him yesterday, and he's in that mindset where he wants to come and perform for the team and see to it that we win championships."

Despite the captain saying this, it wouldn't be wrong to guess that Bumrah's inclusion is more to avoid embarrassment against Afghans and in the Asia Cup, where India will be sending its top-tier team to play second string teams. Losses here would put a question mark on not just Shreyas Iyer's captaincy but also Gautam Gambhir's coaching.

Tags : Cricket, India, Afghanistan, Shreyas Iyer, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Jasprit Bumrah, T20I