World Cup 2023, Match 9 | India Predicted XI vs Afghanistan

image-lnkmb3whIndia will be playing in the ninth match of the World Cup 2023 (Source: AP Photos)

The venue that saw the highest total being struck in the World Cup will be staging India's game against Afghanistan on October 11 i.e. Thursday. It's the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi that will host match 9 of the coveted competition and is slated to begin at 2:30 PM IST.

Both sides initiated their competition in contrasting manner. India showcased a brilliant all-round game to dominate Australia in Chennai whereas Afghanistan got trounced by Bangladesh in their opening game in Dharamsala.

The Afghans failed to gleam against the Shakib Al Hasan-captained unit as the scoreboard hovered around the 150 runs mark. It was an easy chase for the Tigers who did it with seven wickets in hand.

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On the flip side, India were on a spot of bother in a tricky chase of 200 runs as the scoreboard read 2-3 within a couple of overs. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul stepped up with a brillant 165 runs partnership to take the game away from the Kangaroos. The Men in Blue have suffered a big blow as Shubman Gill is yet to be fit and was hospitalised in a Chennai hospital due to low blood platelet count. Although Gill was discharged on Tuesday morning, he will take time to recuperate.

So, let us have a quick glance at the Indian predicted XI against Afghanistan in Delhi.


Openers: Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan.

In the absence of Gill, India are likely to command with the right and left hand combination at the top of the order. Ishan Kishan who earlier cemented his position in the middle order will look to take the charge in the opening spot along with skipper Rohit Sharma. Both complement each other well and have done that for the franchise, Mumbai Indians in the IPL as well. They will hope to bounce back with some numbers.


Middle-Order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul

The no. 3 option for India is booked for Virat Kohli and there is no better option than the King. He displayed a masterclass knock in the latest clash against Australia, scoring valuable 85 runs under pressure. His partner in the chase, KL Rahul was a breath of fresh air while making the elegant strokes. Rahul ensured he stays till the end and finished the game with 97* under his name.  The duo are an integral part of the Indian middle order and will be accompanied by Shreyas Iyer. The Mumbaikar scored a ton during the bilateral series against Australia and will be backed to perform the task of playing the situations. 


All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin

Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are the two primary all-rounders of India. Hardik suffered a finger injury in the last game but it did not sound that serious. He even bowled later and therefore it is expected that Hardik will continue to feature in the side. 

Jadeja and Ashwin should be two-thirds of the Indian spin department for the upcoming contest. The left-arm orthodox spinner was a game-changer in the last game after picking up a three-fer. His pearler to dismiss Steve Smith was one of the top highlights from Chennai. Ashwin, on the other hand, is a genius of a kind. He is familiar to the conditions of Arun Jaitley Stadium as he was a part of the Delhi Capitals set-up a few years back in the IPL.


Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and  Mohammed Siraj

India are likely to form the same bowling attack unless the drastic change in the condition or any mishaps. Kuldeep Yadav will be the specialised spinner of the community and his left-arm wrist spin adds a special flavour to the bowling attack. When nothing works, he has the knack to come and deliver with the breakthrough. 

Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah should continue as the pace duo for India. Although a fully fit Mohammad Shami is awaiting, India are likely not to tinker their winning combination.  Bumrah bowled brilliantly against Australia in a surface that had bare minimum for the seamers. Siraj on the other hand is a smart customer and his heroics were on display against Sri Lanka a few days back in the Asia Cup final.


India Predicted XI vs Afghanistan

Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk),  Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.