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India vs Afghanistan: 2nd ODI updates: Atal-Rahmat bring up 50-run stand

Wed, 17 June 2026

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19:31

Afghanistan still need 275 runs to win

Afg 128-2 (23 ovs) vs Ind 402 | Scorecard

Brar is back in the attack and he starts poorly as the short bouncer is pulled to backward square leg for a four.

Rahmat the takes a single to covers to bring up the 50-run stand with Atal.

Atal and Rahmat then take two more singles before Atal punches the ball straight down the ground for a four, the ball beats Shreyas to the boundary.

The batters then take a tight single to end the over as 12 runs come off it.

Sundar continues and Rahmat starts the over with three dots.

Rahmat then steps out and plays the ball to mid-wicket for a single.

Two dots to end the over as just 1 run comes off it.

Kuldeep continues and Atal and Rahmat take a single each off the first two balls.

Atal then comes down the track and hammers the ball over the bowler's head for a six!

A dot later, Atal and Rahmat take a single each as 10 runs come off the over.

Sundar continues and Rahmat starts the over with a single. A dot later, Atal gets low and sweeps the ball over square leg for a four.

Two dots later, Atal ends the over with a single to long-on as 6 come off it.

Kuldeep continues and after a dot, Rahmat takes a single to long-on.

Atal then flicks the ball to deep mid-wicket for a couple as Prince does well to dive and keep it from going to the boundary.

A dot later, Atal and Rahmat take a single each as 5 runs come off it.

Sundar continues and he gives 4 runs in the over as the batters rotate the strike.

Kuldeep continues and Rahmat and Atal take two singles off the first three balls.

Two dots later, Rahmat comes down the track and drives it past the non-striker towards mid-on for a four to end the over as 6 come off it.

19:09

Zadran out for 21

Afg 84-2 (16 ovs) vs Ind 402 | Scorecard

Sundar is in the attack now and he also concedes just two runs in the over.

Kuldeep continues and he gives just 2 runs in the over.

Rahmat Shah is the new man in and after a dot, he is off the mark with a single to cover.

Atal then creams the full ball through covers for a four!

Half volley next and Atal check drives it past cover and mid-off for back-to-back fours.

A dot to end the over as a wicket and 9 runs come off it.

Arshdeep continues, he bowls a short bouncer, Zadran miscues the pull, Prince comes running in from the deep towards his left and he stretches in time to complete the catch and Zadran is out for 21.

Kuldeep continues and he keeps it tight to give just 2 in the over.

18:49

Zadran, Atal kept quiet

Afg 69-1 (12 ovs) vs Ind 402 | Scorecard

Runs have dried for Afghanistan after Gurbaz's dismissal as their Required Run Rate has now crept up to over 9 runs an over.

Arshdeep is back in the attack and Atal starts the over with a single before Zadran plays out 5 dots.

Kuldeep in the attack now and Zadran starts the over with a single.

Big shout for LBW next ball, but no says the umpire.

A dot later, Atal takes a single with a shot back past the bowler.

A dot later, the short ball is pulled to backward square leg for a four! 6 runs come in the over.

Gurnoor continues and a back of length ball, wide off the off stump is hit in the air over covers for a four by Atal!

Atal and Zadran then take a single each off the next two balls.

Three dots to end the over as 6 come off it.

Prince continues and Zadran starts the over with a four through mid-wicket.

Five dots to end the over as 5 come off it.

18:32

Breaks the 52-run stand as Gurbaz is dismissed for 41

Afg 52-1 (8 ovs) vs Ind 402 | Scorecard

Sediqullah Atal is the new man in and after two dots, Atal is beaten on the outside edge as he goes for the drive. A wicket and 4 runs come in the over.

Gurnoor continues and after a dot, the 50 comes up for Afghanistan as Gurbaz top-edges the ball to fine leg for a four!

Gurbaz then looks to ramp the ball short bouncer over the keeper but he manages to edge the ball to the keeper and he is cramped for room and he is out for 41 off 33.

Prince is back in the attack, and he strays down the leg side. Zadran clips it to the leg side for a single.

Gurbaz and Zadran then take a single each off the next two balls.

A dot later, Prince Yadav seems to have taken his first ODI wicket as Gurbaz mistimes the pull and is caught by Arshdeep but the third umpire rings the siren for a no-ball and Gurbaz survives.

Free hit next and Gurbaz swings his bat and hits the ball through mid-wicket, Arshdeep dives but can't keep the ball from going to the boundary.

A single to mid-wicket to end the over as 9 come off it.

Gurnoor Brar is in the attack now and Zadran and Gurbaz take three singles to start the over.

Gurbaz is then nearly beaten by the fiery yorker.

Gurbaz looks to go across the line and is hit on the pad, big shout for LBW, no says the umpire. India don't take the review.

Gurbaz then creams the ball through cover point for a four as 7 come off it.

Arshdeep continues and after three dots, Gurbaz latches on the short bouncer and swivel pulls the ball over backward square leg for a six!

A dot later, a slower short ball next and Gurbaz slashes hard at the ball and the edge flies past short third man for a four as 10 come off the over.

18:11

Prince Yadav expensive

Afg 22-0 (4 ovs) vs Ind 402 | Scorecard

Prince continues and he bowls good length ball, wide off the off stump and Gurbaz creams it through covers for a four!

Two dots later, Gurbaz takes a single to the leg side.

A dot later, the short ball is pulled over square leg for a four to end the over as 9 come off it.

Arshdeep continues and Gurbaz taps it down to the off side and scampers for a single.

Two dots later, Zadran flicks the ball to square leg for a couple to backward square leg.

Two dots to end the over as 3 come off it.

Prince Yadav opens at the other end and after a dot, Gurbaz comes down the track and slaps it over covers for a four.

Two dots later, Prince bowls a short bouncer, Gurbaz controls the pull to play it to mid-wicket for a four.

A single to cover-point to end the over as 9 come off it.

Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran come out to chase 403 while Arshedeep Singh will open the attack for India.

And Arshdeep starts with a good ball angling in. Gurbaz defends.

Gurbaz then comes down the track and lets it go.

Gurbaz then lets the next ball go as he is made to smell leather.

Gurbaz is finally off the mark with a nudge to the leg side for a single.

Full ball and Zadran defends it back to the bowler for a dot.

A dot to end the over as just 1 comes off it.

17:36

India lose 7 wickets for 62 runs in last 10 overs

Ind 402 (49.5 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

On the back of captain Shubman Gill and keeper Ishan Kishan's tons, India put on a massive total as they were dismissed by Afghanistan for 402.

Gill scored his 9th ODI ton, while Kishan creamed the bowlers en route his 2nd ODI century. The batters stitched up a 224-run stand for the third wicket.

But once Kishan was dismissed, the Indian batters fell like a pack of cards. In the last 10 overs, India lost 7 wickets for 62 runs.

Kharoti finished with 4 wickets while Rashid picked 3.

17:24

Kharoti takes 4 wickets for Afghanistan, Rashid picks 3

Ind 402 (49.5 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Sami is back in the attack and Prince starts the over with a couple to mid-wicket as a misfield allows him a second.

A dot later, Prince plays the ball to cover for a single to bring up India's 400.

Kuldeep then takes a single to deep mid-wicket.

Prince then plays the ball to the leg side and wants a couple but Kuldeep is not interested and Prince has to run back and is run out for 5. India all out for 402 in 49.5 overs.

Prince Yadav is the new man in and he is off the mark with a single to long-off.

Kuldeep is the new man in.

Rashid continues and Sundar and Kuldeep take 4 singles before Sundar tries to tickle the ball down to the leg side but he gets a thick deflection off the bat and the keeper does well to take a catch down the leg side. Rashid gets his third wicket and Sundar is out for 19 off 19.

Arshdeep is the new man in and Ghazanfar is back in the attack.

Sundar starts the over with a single.

A dot later, Arshdeep and Sundar take a single each off the next two balls.

Arshdeep then gets a couple wide of long on.

Arshdeep then just flicks the ball straight to mid-wicket and he caught out for 3. India lose 5 wickets for 34 runs.

Rashid continues and the short ball is punished as Sundar latches on to the short ball and he pulls it over square leg for a four!

Sundar and Brar then take three singles.

A dot later, Brar goes on the front foot and looks to play the lofted drive but he is done in by the googly and is caught at long off, Zadran taking hsi third catch today.

17:05

Kharoti takes 4 wickets

Ind 380-6 (46 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Saleem Safi is back in the attack and Sundar starts the over with a couple to covers.

A dot later, Sundar gets a single to towards wide long-off.

Brar is then hit on the pads and he sneaks a couple as the bowler appeals unsuccessfully for LBW.

Brar and Sundar then take a single each as 7 come off the over.

Gurnoor Brar is the new man in and he is off the mark with a single to long-off.

Sundar then takes a single to deep square leg before a dot to end the over as a wicket and 4 runs come off it. Kharoti takes his 4th wicket this afternoon.

Kharoti continues and Shreyas and Sundar take a single each off the first two balls.

Shreyas then looks to loft the next ball down the ground, a leg side ball, Shreyas miscues the strike as he doesn't get the distance and is caught at long-on. He is out for 26 off 24.

Saleem is back in the attack and Sundar starts the over with a single.

Shreyas then cuts the ball to deep backward point for a four!

Shreyas and Sundar then take 2 singles off the next three balls as 8 runs come off it.

16:51

Gill out for 154; KL Rahul out for golden duck

Ind 361-5 (43 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Washington Sundar is the new man in and after a dot, he is off the mark with a single as 2 wickets and 8 runs come off it.

KL Rahul is the new man in and he goes for the big shot, only to be holed out at long on and he is out for a golden duck.

Kharoti continues and Shreyas starts the over with a six over long on!

Shreyas then takes a single to long-off.

Gill then decides to get cheeky. Looks to reverse sweep the full ball only to play it straight towards cover and he is out for 155 off 110 balls.

Ghazanfar continues and Iyer starts the over with a single.

Gill then takes a single to long-off to bring up his 150.

Two dots later, Iyer takes a single to long-off.

Overpitched ball next and Gill latches on to it and creams it through covers for a four! 7 come off it.

Kharoti continues and the batters take 6 singles in the over.

16:35

Gill-Shreyas keep the momentum going

Ind 340-3 (40 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

India look good to score 400 as 10 overs remain.

But the heat is beginning to get to all the players with Gill cramping.

Ghazanfar continues and Shreyas starts the over with a couple to covers.

Shreyas and Gill then take a single each off the next two balls before three dots to end the over as 4 come off it.

Kharoti continues and Gill starts the over with a four as he moves to the leg side and hits the ball with the spin over covers.

Gill and Shreyas then take 4 singles before a dot to end the over as 8 runs come off it.

Ghazanfar is back in the attack and Gill starts the over with a couple to long-on.

Gill then takes a single to long-on.

Iyer then plays the ball down the ground for a single.

Two dots later, Ghazanfar bowls a wide as Gill plays and misses and the keeper attempts a stumping. Gill seems to be cramping and he goes to ground. The third umpire watches the replay and that is not out.

Gill takes a single to long-off to end the over as 6 runs come off it.

16:22

ishan out for 125

Ind 322-3 (37 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Shreyas Iyer is the new man in and he is off the mark with a single to long-off.

Gill then takes a single to mid-wicket. A dot to end the over as 15 runs and a wicket come off it.

Kharoti is back in the attack and he starts with a wide down the leg side.

Short ball next and Kishan brings a one-handed pull down to backward square leg for a six!

Kishan then gets low and slogs it over deep mid-wicket for a six!

Kishan then attempts another six, but he miscues it and the substitute fielder runs in and takes the catch overhead. Kishan is out for 125 off just 79 balls. The 224-run stand is broken.

16:15

300 up for India as they up the ante

Ind 307-2 (36 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Safi continues and Kishan starts the over with a single.

Gill then drives the next ball straight to cover for a dot.

Full and slow and Gill slaps it straight back over the bowler for a four.

A dot later, Gill cuts the ball but the short third man fielder allows the ball to go past his left hand to the boundary.

Gill then plays the ball to fine leg to end the over with a four as 13 come off it.

Sami continues and Kishan gets a hold of the full ball and he swings his bat and sends the ball soaring over long-on for a six!

A dot later, short, leg side ball and Gill pulls it through backward square leg for a four!

No ball called for height as Gill pulls the full toss towards backward square leg for a four!

Fuller ball next and Gill whips the ball to square leg for a single.

Kishan then swings his bat again and clubs the ball to long-on for a single as he miscues.

A dot to end the over as 18 come off it.

Gill receives some treatment between overs as it looks it's his back that is getting some attention.

After the hold up, Saleem Safi is back in the attack and after a dot, Gill hits back-to-back fours through the off-side.

A dot later, Gill and Kishan take a single each as 10 runs come off the over.

16:00

Runs flowing for India

Ind 266-2 (33 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

In the sapping heat, Gill and Kishan have given the hapless Afghanistan bowlers a punishment with respective centuries.

While Gill has been constructive and sublime, Kishan has been aggressive, going from 50 to 100 in just 19 balls!

Kishan has raced to 91 while Gill is one run short of his century as Rashid walks out of the field in some discomfort.

Sami is back in the attack and Gill brings up his 9th ODI century with a clip off his pads for a four to backward square leg. A 100 at a strike rate of 134!

Gill then tickles the ball down to fine leg, its come off his thigh and that is a four to fine leg.

Gill then comes down the track and gets a single to cover.

Kishan then pulls the ball to mid-wicket for a four!

Short ball again, down the leg side and Kishan pulls it to fine leg for a four.

Kishan then cuts the ball through backward point for a four to bring up his 2nd ODI century. 21 runs come in the over.

Rashid is back in the attack and Kishan and Gill take a single each off the first two balls.

Kishan then hammers the ball over the bowler's head for a four!

A dot later, a leg side ball and Kishan pulls it one-handed over deep backward square leg for a six!

Kishan then comes down the track and slaps the ball through covers to end the over with a four as 16 come off it.

Ghazanfar continues and Gill starts the over with a single.

Wide down the leg side and Kishan misses the flick.

Kishan and Gill then take a single each before Kishan pulls the short ball through mid-wicket for a four!

A dot later, a single to end the over as 9 come off it.

15:42

Sends bowlers to the cleaners after his half-ton

Ind 220-2 (30 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Shahidi continues and after a dot, Gill takes a single to long-on.

Kishan comes down the track and swats the short ball over mid-wicket for a four.

Kishan then goes inside out and carves the ball over covers for a six!

A dot later, Kishan goes on his knee and smacks it through extra cover for a four as 15 come off it.

Ghazanfar is back in the attack after drinks and he's been picked out for big runs as 12 runs come off it.

15:36

Kishan brings up half-ton after 1000 ODI runs

Ind 193-2 (28 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Drinks are on now as the temperature has soared up to 42 degrees C in Lucknow.

It's been an afternoon of milestones with Rohit Sharma getting to 14000 ODI runs before Ishan Kishan logging 1000 ODI runs. Kishan's runs have come in just 966 balls.

His last ODI half-ton came in 966 balls.

15:29

India in cruise control

Ind 193-2 (28 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Shahidi continues and 7 runs come in the over as Kishan brings up his half-century off 52 balls with a pull between mid-wicket and long on.

Sami continues and he does well to concede just three runs in the over.

Shahidi continues, he comes around the wicket and Kishan starts the over with a drive down the ground for a four!

Kishan then plays four dots before Kishan ends the over with a single to mid-off as 5 runs come off it.

Sami continues and Gill steps out and he punches the ball through cover point for a four!

Gill then takes a couple to long on.

Two dots later, Gill and Kishan take a single each as 8 come off it.

Shahidi continues and he gives just 2 singles in the over.

Sami is back in the attack and after a dot, Kishan swivel pulls the ball over backward square leg for a six!

Kishan then nudges the leg side ball to fine leg for a four!

A single next as Kishan brings up 1000 runs in ODIs.

A dot later, Gill ends the over with a four as he gets to the pitch of the ball and caresses it through covers for a four as 15 come off it.

15:21

India keep scorecard ticking

Ind 153-2 (22 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Off spinner Shahidi in the attack now and after a dot, Kishan then takes a single to long on.

Gill then takes a single to mid-wicket.

Kishan then drives the ball down the down to long on for a four!

A dot and a single to end the over as 7 come off it.

Safi continues and Gill starts the over with a single.

Short ball next and Kishan pulls the ball over long leg for a six!

A dot later, Kishan takes a single to cover-point.

Short ball next and Gill pulls it to mid-wicket for a single.

Kishan then plays the ball to third man for a single as 10 come off it. With that comes up Gill and Kishan's 50-run stand.

Rashid continues and after two dots, Gill cuts the ball past point and Ghazanfar makes a hash of it as the ball goes through his hands and to the boundary. Rashid is livid.

Gill then drives the ball to mid-wicket for a single.

Two dots to end the over as 5 come off it.

Medium pacer Saleem Safi is back in the attack and he starts with one short and wide and Gill cuts is square on the off side for a four to start the over.

A dot later, a short ball and Gill pulls the ball past mid-wicket for a four!

Two dots later, Gill plays the ball to mid-on and canters for a single. A direct hit at the non-strikers' end but Gill is safely in, replays show and 9 runs come in the over.

15:21

Rohit out for 48

Ind 98-2 (14 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

After drinks, Ishan Kishan comes out to bat No 4 and after a dot, he gets off the mark with a single to long-off.

Gill then drives the ball to long-on for a single.

Two dots to end the over as a wicket and 2 runs come off it.

Rashid continues, short of length, quicker one coming into the batter and Rohit is bowled as he is done in by the googly. The ball goes off the inside edge to clip his off stump and Rohit is out for 48. India lose their 2nd wicket.

Kharoti continues and Gill and Rohit take four singles to start the over.

Short ball next and Gill cuts it past backward point for a four!

A dot to end the over as 8 come off it.

Rashid Khan is in the attack now and after two dots, Rohit plays the ball past the bowler for a single.

A dot later, Gill takes a single to long-off.

Rohit then attempts to play on the leg side but gets a leading edge and it's a dot. Just two come in the over.

Kharoti continues and the batters rotate the strike as 6 runs come in the over.

14:48

India continue to find the runs untroubled

Ind 122-2 (18 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Rashid continues and Gill starts the over with a single to long-on.

Three dots later, Kishan and Gill take 2 singles to end the over as just 3 come off it.

Kharoti continues, he starts with a short ball and Gill pulls it towards cow corner for a six to bring up his half-century.

A dot later, Gill just punches the ball through the line for a single.

Kishan then plays the ball to mid-wicket for a single.

Gill then takes a single to long-off.

Kishan is then beaten on the cut as 9 come off it.

Rashid continues and he starts with a short ball on the leg side and Kishan pulls it over backward square leg for a four!

Kishan and Gill then take four singles each before a dot to end the over as 8 come off it.

Kharoti continues and Kishan and Gill take 4 singles in the over.

14:20

Rohit closing in on half-century

Ind 80-1 (10 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Sami continues and Rohit plays the ball to cover for a dot.

Rohit again punches the ball to cover for single.

Back of length ball on the off-side next and Rohit just guides it past a diving short third man for four!

Rohit then plays the full ball to mid-off for a dot.

Rohit then slices the next ball to backward point for another dot.

Rohit ends the over with a lofted shot over mid-on for a four as 8 come off it.

Left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharoti is in the attack now, he starts aroiund the wicket with a wide full toss on the leg side and Gill swings it over deep backward point for a six!

Two dots later, Gill drives the ball to long off for a single.

A dot later, Rohit punches the fuller ball past the bowler for a single to long-off as 8 come off the over.

Sami contninues and Gill slices the ball down to deep backward point for a single.

Full and on the pads, Rohit just flicks it through square leg for a four!

Three dots later, full and wide and Rohit just throws his hands at it and the ball races to the boundary through backward point. 9 come in the over.

Ghazanfar continues and Rohit starts the over with a single.

A dot later, Gill plays a single.

Two dots later, Ghazanfar bowls it wide and full, Rohit reaches out for it and slaps it through covers for a four as 6 come off it.

13:59

Rohit logs 14000 ODI runs

Ind 49-1 (6 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Medium pacer Bilal Sami in the attack now and Rohir starts the over with a couple towards mid-on as he miscues the pull.

Rohit then outside edges the ball to third man for a single.

Gill then plays three dots as Sami mixes his lengths.

Short and wide next and Gill cuts it past backward point to end the over with a four as 7 come off it.

Ghazanfar continues and Gill creams three fours in the over as 14 come off it.

Saleem continues and Gill starts the over with a single off a leg bye.

A dot later, a short of length ball and Rohit pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a six!

Short ball next and Rohit pulls it over deep backward square leg for another six and with that he gets to 14000 runs in ODIs.

Two dots to end the over as 13 come off it.

Shubman Gill is the new man in.

Ghazanfar continues and Rohit starts the over with a single to square leg.

A dot later, Gill creams the ball through the left of mid-off for a four to get off the mark.

A dot later, Gill flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

A dot to end the over as 6 runs come off it.

13:41

Jaiswal out for 4

Ind 9-1 (2 ovs) vs Afg | Scorecard

Medium pacer Saleem Safi is in the attack now and he starts with a dot.

Short and wide next and Rohit just cuts it through point for a four to get off the mark and open India's account.

Rohit then gets a single off a leg bye.

Short and close to body, he gets some extra bounce and Jaiswal is beaten on the cut.

Short and wide next and Jaiswal is off the mark after 8 balls with a cut through backward point.

Another short and wide ball, Jaiswal miscues the cut and is caught on the 2nd attempt by Nangeyalia Kharoti at backward point to give Saleem his maiden ODI wicket. Jaiswal is out for 4 off 9 balls.

Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal come out to open the batting for India while off-spinner Allah Ghazanfar will open the attack for Afghanistan.

Ghazanfar comes around the wicket and Jaiswal is on strike and he plays the first ball to cover for a dot.

Jaiswal then plays three dots as the bowler keeps it just short of a length.

Fuller next and Jaiswal is hit on the pad.

Jaiswal is beaten on the cut next and Ghazanfar starts with a maiden.

13:12

Prince Yadav to make his ODI debut for India

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has won the toss and has invited India to bat in the 2nd ODI in Lucknow.

India have a debutant in pacer Prince Yadav.

The pitch looks flat and is expected to garner runs but with the weather touching nearly 40 degress Celsius, the strip could break up and help spinners later.

Playing XIs:

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Darwish Rasooli, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Bilal Sami

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav

Welcome to the updates from the 2nd ODI between India and Afghanistan in Lucknow on Wednesday.

With the Indian team management keen on testing different combinations ahead of next year's ODI World Cup, it remains to be seen whether Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal get into the playing XI in the second ODI against Afghanistan.

The hosts lead the three-match series 1-0 after their comfortable win in the rain-curtailed opener. A win on Wednesday will give them an unassailable lead. But India's focus, however, extends beyond immediate results.

With two dozen ODI matches scheduled before the World Cup, the team management has made it clear that the ongoing series is an opportunity to test different combinations and assess players in various roles.

"For this series, it's all about trying different combinations and seeing what really works for us. We don't play that many ODIs anymore - leading up to the World Cup, so it's all about trying different combinations and seeing what our strengths are," skipper Shubman Gill had said ahead of the opener.

In that context, Kuldeep's place in the pecking order has come under scrutiny in recent months.

The left-arm wrist spinner featured regularly during the home series against South Africa and New Zealand but has since endured a dip in form.

A modest IPL season was followed by an underwhelming outing in the one-off Test, where he struggled for rhythm. He also missed selection in India's recent T20I squads for the Ireland and England tours as well as the Asian Games.

But ODIs remain the 31-year-old's strongest format and the team management could consider bringing him in. Kuldeep taking wickets in the middle overs makes India's job a lot easier.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir prefers multi-dimensional cricketers, not as much for their bowling, but their ability to chip in with the bat, making spin all-rounder Washington Sundar a certainty. Which means Harsh Dubey, who picked three wickets in the opener with his finger spin in his debut game, could make way for Kuldeep.

India's bowling unit looked disciplined in the opener and another strong performance will further strengthen the hosts' grip on the series. On the pace front another debutant Gurnoor Brar impressed and is likely to be given another game even as fellow rookie Prince Yadav waits for his turn.

Rohit will look to make impact

Jaiswal is another player eagerly waiting in the wings. With Virat Kohli's, who misses the series due to a hamstring injury, No. 3 slot still up for grabs, Ishan Kishan was preferred in the opening game but the left-handed Jaiswal has done enough in recent months to stake a claim for a place.

"In terms of that number three slot, that's something that in this series we'll play around with. Even if it's Ishan or KL or Yashasvi, it's a nice opportunity now. We've got a couple of one-day games coming up and we'll give guys opportunity in different slots.

"Just to give ourselves a better idea in terms of how we can go and structure the team and have different options," India bowling coach Morne Morkel had said.

Veteran Rohit Sharma, who was run out cheaply in the first game, will look to make a bigger impact, while Gill would be pleased with the way the team handled pressure in a contest shortened by rain.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, will need a more collective effort with the bat. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz's attacking century was the standout performance for the visitors in the first ODI but he received little support from the other end as Afghanistan failed to post a challenging total.

Spin is Afghanistan's biggest strength but the trio of Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar and Mohammad Nabi was not able to trouble the Indian batters enough in Dharamsala. The Lucknow surface should suit them more.

India vs Afghanistan: 2nd ODI updates: Atal-Rahmat bring up 50-run stand

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