Prince, Brar, Dubey get maiden ODI call-ups for India vs Afghanistan series
Synopsis
Three uncapped players — Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, and Harsh Dubey — earn maiden ODI call-ups for India's Afghanistan series, while Ishan Kishan's return comes directly at Rishabh Pant's expense. With Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya both carrying fitness question marks, the Afghanistan series is shaping up as a genuine audition ground rather than a routine assignment.
Key Takeaways
Prince Yadav , Gurnoor Brar , and Harsh Dubey receive maiden ODI call-ups for India's three-match series against Afghanistan .
The series will be played in Dharamshala (14 June) , Lucknow (17 June) , and Chennai (20 June) .
Ishan Kishan returns to the ODI squad; Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel are dropped.
Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya are included but require fitness clearance from the medical team.
Mohammed Siraj , Axar Patel , Ayush Badoni , and injured Harshit Rana are among the notable omissions.
Shubman Gill captains; Shreyas Iyer is vice-captain.
India's selection committee on 19 May named three uncapped players — pacer Prince Yadav, left-arm seamer Gurnoor Brar, and left-arm spin all-rounder Harsh Dubey — in a 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, scheduled across Dharamshala (14 June), Lucknow (17 June), and Chennai (20 June). The series forms part of India's structured build-up to the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup.
New Faces and the Selection Logic
Prince Yadav's call-up comes on the back of a standout IPL 2026 campaign with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where his accuracy and pace yielded 16 wickets, impressing the panel enough to leapfrog more established names. Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey have prior exposure at the highest level, having been part of the Test squad for the one-off match in New Chandigarh, but this marks their maiden ODI selections. The pace attack now reads Brar, Prince, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna, while the spin department features Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Dubey.
Ishan Kishan Returns, Pant Steps Aside
The most significant selection call is Ishan Kishan's return to the ODI setup at the expense of Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, speaking at a virtual press conference, addressed Pant's omission directly: 'Rishabh remains a part of the Test squad and is an incredible player. He's not part of the ODI squad, but right now he's a key part of the Test team,' Agarkar said. The move signals a deliberate format-based rotation, with Pant's role clearly demarcated as Test-centric for now.
Fitness Clouds Over Rohit and Hardik
The squad retains senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, though Rohit's availability is subject to fitness clearance after he sustained a hamstring injury during IPL 2026. Similarly, seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya must clear a medical assessment following back spasms that kept him out of recent Mumbai Indians games. Both remain in the squad pending those assessments.
Notable Omissions
Several players who featured in India's 2-1 ODI series loss to New Zealand earlier this year have been dropped. Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, and Ayush Badoni find no place, while Harshit Rana is sidelined due to injury. The reshuffle reflects the selectors' intent to experiment with depth options while the World Cup remains two years away.
Leadership and Full Squad
Shubman Gill continues as captain with Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain. The full squad is: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, and Harsh Dubey. The series against Afghanistan will be a key audition for the new faces ahead of tougher bilateral assignments later in the cycle.
Point of View
And Agarkar's framing — 'Test squad' versus 'ODI squad' — suggests a deliberate format-segregation policy rather than a form-based drop. That is a defensible strategy for World Cup planning, but it carries risk: Pant's match-winning ability in white-ball cricket is well established, and keeping him in a Test-only box limits India's tactical flexibility. Prince Yadav's inclusion on IPL form is textbook selection logic, but the real test is whether the Afghanistan series — against a side India invariably dominate — provides meaningful data on players who have never faced top-tier ODI pressure.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the new players called up for India's ODI series against Afghanistan?
Pacer Prince Yadav, left-arm seamer Gurnoor Brar, and left-arm spin all-rounder Harsh Dubey have all received their maiden ODI call-ups for the three-match series against Afghanistan. Prince earned his place on the back of 16 wickets for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026.
Why has Rishabh Pant been dropped from India's ODI squad?
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar stated that Pant is being retained exclusively for Test cricket for now, with Ishan Kishan preferred for the ODI wicketkeeper role. Agarkar described Pant as 'an incredible player' and 'a key part of the Test team' while confirming he is not part of the current ODI plans.
Where and when will India play Afghanistan in the ODI series?
The three-match ODI series will be held at Dharamshala on 14 June, Lucknow on 17 June, and Chennai on 20 June 2026.
Are Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya fit to play against Afghanistan?
Both are included in the squad but face fitness hurdles. Rohit Sharma is recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during IPL 2026, while Hardik Pandya has been dealing with back spasms that kept him out of Mumbai Indians' recent matches. Both require clearance from the medical team before they can play.
Who has been dropped from India's ODI squad compared to the New Zealand series?
Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, and Ayush Badoni — all part of the squad that lost 2-1 to New Zealand earlier this year — have been left out. Harshit Rana is also absent due to injury, and Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel have made way for Ishan Kishan.
