Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar hand over first ODI caps as India opt to field in 25-over competition

Harsh Dubey and Gurnoor Brar (X-BCCI) India handed Harsh Dubey and Gurnoor Brar their first ODI caps ahead of their clash with Afghanistan, with both youngsters marking a special milestone in their careers.Dubey received his cap from KL Rahul while Indian captain Shubman Gill handed Gurnoor Brar his debut cap before the start of the game. After earlier weather concerns, conditions improved significantly and the skies cleared in time for the match. The contest would be reduced to 25 overs per side, making for what promises to be an interesting encounter. Under the revised playing conditions, each team can use a maximum of five bowlers, with each bowler allowed to bowl up to five overs. The batting power-play will last for the first five overs of each innings.On the roll, Gill made the right call and decided to line up first, citing overcast conditions and the possibility of early relief for the sailors.“We’ll be bowling first. It’s a bit overcast so the bowlers could get some help. It looks like a good surface, a good wicket to bat, that could be something for the pacers to start with. It’s all about trying different combinations to see what works for us. We play around 15-20 ODIs before the World Cup, so it’s about trying things out. We go out and debut G Kulislewal with two.Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted that his team would also have preferred to jump in first, but remained confident of a good performance.“We wanted to bowl first but it’s not in our hands; we have to start well with the bat. We have done very well in the recent past. This is the first time we are playing India in their home conditions, we are excited and hope to do well. There are three seamers and three spinners, one sear is an all-rounder,” Shahidi said.With two debutants in the Indian XI, favorable weather conditions returning and a shortened 25-over format adding an extra layer of unpredictability, the stage is set for an engrossing contest.teams:Afghanistan (PlayingIndia (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan(w), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna