Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey make ODI debuts for India in Dharamsala

A Rain-Hit Start in the Mountains

The highly anticipated clash between India and Afghanistan in Dharamsala faced significant challenges before a ball was even bowled. Due to persistent rain, the contest was reduced to a 25 overs-a-side match. The delay was substantial, with the toss occurring four hours and 15 minutes past the scheduled 1:00 pm start time. Despite the weather, the atmosphere remained electric as the teams prepared for the series opener.

Tactical Decisions at the Toss

Upon finally getting the green light to play, India’s captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field first. Explaining his decision, Gill noted the overcast conditions and the potential for further rain, suggesting that chasing would be the more strategic approach on a track that promised to be good for batting once settled.

Fresh Faces for the Men in Blue

The most significant highlight of the team sheet was the inclusion of two fresh talents. Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey make ODI debuts for India in Dharamsala, marking a major milestone in their respective cricketing careers. Harsh Dubey, a spin-bowling allrounder, and Gurnoor Brar, a fast bowler, were drafted into the playing eleven to strengthen the bowling attack. With Virat Kohli absent from this fixture, the team structure saw KL Rahul move up to the No. 3 spot, supporting openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma.

The Indian Lineup

The final playing eleven for India featured a blend of experience and youth:

• Shubman Gill (c)
• Rohit Sharma
• KL Rahul
• Shreyas Iyer
• Ishan Kishan (wk)
• Washington Sundar
• Nitish Kumar Reddy
• Harsh Dubey
• Gurnoor Brar
• Arshdeep Singh
• Prasidh Krishna

The bench strength was notably robust, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Prince waiting in the wings.

Afghanistan’s Response

Afghanistan, captained by Hashmatullah Shahidi, expressed that they would have also preferred to bowl had they won the toss. The visitors showcased their commitment to the format by handing a debut to fast bowler Ziaur Rahman. Their strategy revolved around a balanced attack, deploying three spinners and three seamers to counter the Indian lineup on what was expected to be a tricky surface given the damp conditions.

Afghanistan Playing XI

• Ibrahim Zadran
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
• Sediqullah Atal
• Rahmat Shah
• Hashmatullah Shahidi (c)
• Azmatullah Omarzai
• Mohammad Nabi
• Rashid Khan
• Mohammad Saleem
• AM Ghazanfar
• Ziaur Rahman

Context of the Series

This encounter holds extra weight for both sides, as it marks their return to the ODI fold after long hiatuses. India had not played an ODI since January, while Afghanistan had been away from the format since October 2025. With both teams eager to shake off the rust, the shortened format added a layer of intensity, forcing batters to be aggressive from the very first delivery. As the match progressed, all eyes were on the debutants to see how they would handle the pressure of international cricket under such unique, weather-impacted circumstances.