Projected Indian Squad Against Afghanistan in T20I Matches

Discussions regarding the player selection process began after the announcement of the Indian team's squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Former Indian player S. Badri Nat raised questions concerning the inclusion of Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the team. Furthermore, he indirectly pointed to head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Badri Nat shared his opinion on the selection, casting doubt on the consistent support received by Sundar. On his YouTube channel, he noted that it seems like the 'coach's favourite' has returned once again. Badri Nat advised Sundar to take advantage of this trust.

Badri Nat's implied hint was directed at the team management and, specifically, the coaching staff. However, he did not level direct accusations against Gautam Gambhir.

Badri Nat also spoke about Nitish Kumar Reddy, focusing his criticism on his bowling performance. He stated that he does not rate Nitish highly, and the reason for this is his bowling. In Badri Nat's view, Nitish is fundamentally a batter, not a all-rounder who should be highly valued for his bowling skills. Thus, Badri Nat's objection is more related to Nitish's bowling abilities than his batting.

Washington and Nitish were included in the Indian team's 15-man squad for the T20I matches against Afghanistan. The first match of the series is scheduled for September 13 in Delhi. This series takes place during a period when the Indian team is making several changes ahead of defending its gold medalist status at the Asian Games, which will be held in Japan at the end of this month.

The series against Afghanistan is also considered important for assessing the team composition and testing the players. Alongside the criticism of the selection, Badri Nat expressed satisfaction with the possible return of Jasprit Bumrah to the Indian team, calling it positive news. Bumrah has been included in the squad for the series against Afghanistan, but his participation depends on receiving clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Additionally, Harshit Rana was included in the team. The participation of Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harshit Rana in the series depends on passing the respective medical examinations. The first match of the three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan will take place on September 13 in Delhi. In this series, the Indian team will be preparing for the Asian Games, while everyone will be watching for Bumrah's possible return. Nevertheless, the selection of players like Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy has already caused heated debate before the start of the series.

The Pakistan cricket team continues to face difficulties in the series of matches against England. After two consecutive defeats in Headingley and Lord's, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made significant changes to the squad. Seven players were dropped from England, there were changes in the coaching staff, and selection committee member Akib Javed raised questions regarding Imam-ul-Haq's injury.

Akib Javed clearly stated that the incident with Imam's injury would be investigated. He questioned why Imam could not take the field in both innings of the Test, if he claimed to have muscle problems after a strain. Imam-ul-Haq sustained an ankle injury during fielding in the match at Lord's. Following this, he did not take the field for the remainder of the match and did not participate in either of Pakistan's innings, which led to Pakistan's defeat at Lord's by 194 runs. Since then, questions have arisen in Pakistani cricket regarding Imam's injury.

Interestingly, on the fourth day of the Test, on Sunday, Imam appeared on the field. He was engaged in shadow batting, but his gait clearly showed that he was not fully fit. A heavy bandage was applied to his left calf. These visuals prompted questions from Akib Javed. Akib noted that a player's muscle strain is not uncommon, but he is concerned about the fact that Imam did not take the field in both innings.

He also mentioned instances where players continue to try to contribute to the game by taking the field despite serious injuries or having casts. Akib assured that this matter would be reviewed, and appropriate measures would be taken if necessary. Akib serves as the Director of High Performance and a member of the PCB National Selection Committee.

In addition to Imam, the PCB dropped only seven players from the tour in England. Due to these changes, the roles of bowling coach Umar Gul and head coach Sarfar Ahmed were abolished. For the last Test against England, the responsibility will now be taken by head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke. Akib Javed supported the decision to return the seven players, deeming it necessary to change the team after two Test losses.

Pakistan included five inexperienced players in the squad for the third Test, which will be held in Birmingham. Furthermore, Sam Ayub and Abdullah Fazal returned to the team. Although their names are not new, their experience in Test cricket is extremely limited: Sam Ayub and Abdullah Fazal together have only played 10 Test matches.

Disputes within the Pakistani team concern not only injuries and player returns. Reports have emerged of disagreements between the team management and Akib Javed regarding the squad for the Lord's match. According to reports, Akib wanted a fast all-rounder to be included in the Lord's match alongside fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batsman Gazi Gori. He felt that Ubaid Shah should have been given a spot. Akib also commented on his bowling speed, noting that he is capable of bowling at around 140 km/h.

Moreover, Akib wanted to include Gazi Gori in the team, suggesting replacing him with Mohammad Rizwan. However, the team management did not follow Akib's advice. Instead, Salman Ali Agha, who captained the first Test in the absence of Babar Azam, was excluded from the squad. Akib Javed reported that after the first Test, he spoke with captain Babar Azam and the head coach, proposing the inclusion of Ubaid Shah. In Akib's view, the team should make necessary decisions instead of constantly waiting. He also insisted on including Gazi, but the team management made a different decision. This is why reports of disagreements within the Pakistani cricket team regarding decision-making have surfaced.

The third and final Test against England will begin on September 9th in Birmingham. However, the Pakistani team has undergone a complete transformation by this match. After two defeats, seven players were sent back, there were changes in the coaching staff, and five inexperienced players were included in the team. Now Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke face the task of managing the new team. On the other hand, the issue of Imam-ul-Haq's injury has become a major topic of discussion in Pakistani cricket. Following Akib Javed's announcement of an investigation, it will be important to see what steps the PCB takes in this matter. For now, the difficulties for the Pakistani cricket team are not limited to on-field play.

Indian cricketer Mayank Agarwal has been added to the list of Indian players participating in English county cricket. This experienced batsman, aged 35, will play for Durham in the remaining four matches of the 2026 County Championship.

Ryan Campbell, head coach of Durham, noted that after David Beddingham's return to South Africa, the team required an international batsman, which Mayank could be. Additionally, Ben Stokes, who left the England team, also plays for Durham in the County Championship.

Mayank Agarwal has represented the Indian national team in 21 Test matches and 5 ODI matches. In Test matches, he has scored 4 centuries, and his last match for India was in 2022.

His first-class statistics are quite good, and he is close to 9000 first-class career runs. In first-class matches, Mayank has scored 21 centuries and 48 half-centuries. He has also played in the IPL for five teams, scoring 2756 runs in 131 matches.

In 2018, Mayank Agarwal married his school friend Asha Sud. Mayank's father-in-law, Pravin Sud, currently holds the position of Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Recently, many Indian players have participated in English county cricket, including Yujwendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Jaydev Unadkat, Akib Nabi, and Mahipal Lomror, who play for various county teams.

Durham's next four matches are scheduled against Northamptonshire, Middlesex, Worcestershire, and Lancashire. Mayank Agarwal intends to demonstrate excellent batting performance for Durham and help the team return to the One-Day County Championship Division.