India 7/0 in 0.2 Overs | IND vs AFG, India vs Afghanistan Live Score, 1st ODI: Debutants Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey restrict Afghanistan to 194, all in Dharamsala

India vs Afghanistan Live Score, 1st ODI: India’s preparations for the 2027 FIFA World Cup could begin with some bold calls in the ODI series opener against Afghanistan, with Ishan Kishan’s role behind the stumps emerging as one of the biggest talking points. Kishan took wicket practice during the training session in Dharamsala, while long-time wicketkeeper KL Rahul was deployed in the outfield, raising the possibility of a reshuffle in both the batting order and wicket responsibilities.

Virat Kohli’s absence has given the team management an opportunity to experiment at number three, with bowling coach Morne Morkel revealing that Rahul, Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal will all be considered for the role during the series.

India’s pace reserves could also get a new look, with Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar eyeing international debuts. Morkel said the two bowlers showed no signs of nervousness and impressed the coaching staff with their energy and accuracy. He hinted that Gautam Gambhir could give them a chance in Indian colours.

There was more good news for the hosts as Rohit Sharma was declared fully fit after overcoming a hamstring problem.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, are relying heavily on their arsenal of Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar and veteran Mohammad Nabi as they aim for a first-ever win over India. After gaining confidence from the recent ODI series, Hashmatullah Shahidi’s team sees the three-match competition as the start of their journey to the 2027 World Cup.