Key Takeaways
- Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first in the third ODI against India in Chennai.
- India had already secured the series 2‑0, making this match a dead‑rubber.
- Both teams reshuffled their XIs: India brought in three players (Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Prasidh Krishna) and dropped Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav.
- Afghanistan made four changes, adding two all‑rounders (Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai) and two seamers (Fareed Ahmad, Ziaur Rahman) while sitting out Sediqullah Atal, Nangeyalia Kharote, Mohammad Saleem, and Bilal Sami.
- India’s batting order featured Shubman Gill at No. 3, Ishan Kishan moving up to No. 5 as wicket‑keeper, and an all‑rounder‑heavy lower order with Reddy at No. 6 and Dubey at No. 8.
- Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi described the pitch as dry and hard, hoping to post a competitive total; Gill echoed the sentiment, saying he would have also chosen to bat first.
Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first in the third and final One‑Day International against India at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The match, played on 20 June 2026, was a formality for India, which had already clinched the series 2‑0 after victories in the first two ODIs. Despite the dead‑rubber status, both sides used the opportunity to experiment with their combinations and give fringe players exposure ahead of upcoming tours.
India’s captain, Shubman Gill, announced three changes to the side that had played the previous match. Nitish Kumar Reddy was introduced at No. 6, providing additional batting depth and occasional off‑spin. Harsh Dubey, a left‑arm orthodox spinner, was slotted at No. 8, reinforcing the spin‑heavy middle order. Prasidh Krishna returned to the bowling attack, taking the place of the injured Arshdeep Singh and the rested Kuldeep Yadav. Consequently, Harshit Rana, who had only recently recovered from knee surgery, missed out despite being named in the squad. The wicket‑keeping duties shifted from KL Rahul to Ishan Kishan, who moved up to No. 5 in the batting order, while Shubman Gill retained his position at No. 3 and Rohit Sharma opened alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Washington Sundar, who had featured in the second ODI, was also dropped to make room for the all‑rounder‑heavy lineup.
Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, made four alterations to his XI. Recognising the need for more batting firepower and seam options, he brought in two all‑rounders—Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai—and two seam bowlers, Fareed Ahmad and Ziaur Rahman. Nabi’s experience with both bat and ball was expected to stabilize the middle order, while Omarzai offered a handy pace option and lower‑order hitting. The seam pair were tasked with exploiting the dry, hard surface that Shahidi noted during the toss. In contrast, Sediqullah Atal, Nangeyalia Kharote, Mohammad Saleem, and Bilal Sami were left out, making way for the new arrivals. The batting order retained Rahmanullah Gurbaz as the opener and wicket‑keeper, followed by Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, and Shahidi himself at No. 4. Darwish Rasooli was promoted to No. 5, with Nabi at No. 6, Omarzai at No. 7, the world‑leading spinner Rashid Khan at No. 8, and the remaining bowlers filling out the lower order.
Speaking after the toss, Shahidi commented that the pitch appeared “dry and hard,” conditions that traditionally favour batsmen early on but could assist seamers as the game progresses. He expressed confidence that setting a solid total would put pressure on India, despite the series already being decided. Gill, reflecting on the same observation, said he would have also chosen to bat first had he won the toss, underscoring the belief that a good score was achievable on the surface.
The match thus served as a platform for both teams to test squad depth and tactical variations. India’s inclusion of Reddy and Dubey signalled a continued focus on nurturing all‑rounders who can contribute with both bat and ball, while Afghanistan’s adjustments highlighted their strategy to blend experienced campaigners like Nabi with emerging talents such as Omarzai and the seam duo. Although the result held no bearing on the series outcome, the performances in this dead‑rubber could influence selection decisions for India’s upcoming overseas assignments and Afghanistan’s preparation for future ICC events.