WATCH: Rohit Sharma forgets teammates’ name during toss before first T20I against Afghanistan

India skipper Rohit Sharma is leading the T20I team for the first time after the T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal game against England. After the tournament, both Sharma and Virat Kohli were rested for the shortest format of the game. Given the ODI World Cup was meant to be played last year, they were asked to concentrate on ODI and Tests.

Meanwhile, ahead of the ongoing three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, both players have made their comeback in the side. It is pretty much certain that they will play in the T20 World Cup 2024 in June this year.

India squad for T20 series: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

Rohit Sharma forgets his teammates’ name during the toss

During the toss, the India skipper forgot the last player who will miss out on this game. Even though he remembered Yashavi Jaiswal, Avesh Khan, and Sanju Samson’s names, he forgot that Kuldeep Yadav was set to rest for this game.

“No particular reason, the pitch doesn’t change here much, said Rohit Sharma at the toss. “A lot to gain from these three games. We haven’t had too much T20 cricket. Leading upto the WC we have IPL and stuff but international game is international game. Trying to achieve what the team is heading to. I wasn’t in the team for the entire last year, but I’ve been talking to Rahul bhai about what we are doing and understand what we need to do as a group. Winning is the most important thing. Sanju, Avesh, Jaiswal (who didn’t pull up well) and Kuldeep are not playing.”

Batting first, the Afghans have amassed 158/5. In reply, the home team lost the wicket of Sharma early and Tilak Varma and Shubman Gill are at the crease with 20/1 in 3.1 overs on the board.