IND vs AFG T20 World Cup Match LIVE Updates India vs Afghanistan Super 12 Group 2 - Follow Live 

IND vs AFG Preview T20 World Cup 2021: India eye first win, face upbeat Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi

Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's inexplicable absence from the playing XI is in focus as India skipper Virat Kohli tries to figure the combination that can bring his team's floundering campaign back on track when it takes on a feisty Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.

India's run has been derailed after two crushing defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand and the performance that they have put in is not worthy of a semi-final spot even though mathematics keeps their hopes alive.

Afghanistan have expectedly won their two games against Scotland and Namibia and were in the contest against Pakistan for the better part before Asif Ali took the game away with four sixes in one over.

In this backdrop, Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan would like to use all their might and T20 freelancing experience to add insult to the Indian injury and prolong the nightmare that started on October 24.

For Kohli, in probably his last three matches as T20 captain of India, one would expect some prudent team selections and it starts with the question of repeatedly ignoring a player of Ashwin's calibre.

It is unheard of in world cricket that one of the most decorated players among the current generation has been transformed into a glorified traveller since he last wore the national shirt in June.

Ashwin's entry into the white-ball team after four years was indeed left-field selection and if sources are to be believed, it never had the Indian skipper's approval.

T20 World Cup: India lacked role clarity and team construction, feels Jayawardene

 

Former Sri Lanka skipper and Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene feels the lack of role clarity and team construction led to India's downfall in the first two games of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Jayawardene, who has been a vital cog in MI's think tank since 2017, said batting has always been India's strength but once that department faltered, it became a Herculean task for the bowlers.

"...the skills in that dressing room is immense and I feel that role clarity and how you want to construct is something which is lacking. Form as well coming into this tournament and how they are going to set themselves up because India, as a team, hasn't played T20 cricket for a little while and that showed," he said.

"They had a couple of warm-up games, they looked good but kept changing personnel at the top of the order and when they came into the actual tournament it was a bit tough. India is always going to dominate with the bat in the competition but as soon as the batting lets them down...

"When you compare with all other bowling attacks you feel that India is not up to scratch. They have some attacking bowlers but it is their batting that they have depended on dominating and when that is not happening that's a concern," he said.