'Important that he gets game time' - Shreyas Iyer backs Jasprit Bumrah's return ahead of Afghanistan T20I series

Bumrah set for return as Iyer backs squad depth ahead of Afghanistan T20Is

Shreyas Iyer's India kick off a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan tmr (Sep 13) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, with a healthy-ish squad and Jasprit Bumrah ready to return to the setup.

The Bumrah factor

Bumrah's been on the sidelines since July's ODI tour of England with a left knee injury, but he bowled full-out in the nets Thursday and looks match-ready. Iyer's message is clear—confidence and game time matter when a player steps back in.

> "As a player comes out of an injury, it's important that he gets game time, and you need that sort of confidence," Iyer said.

Makes sense—no matter how experienced Bumrah is, nailing match rhythm post-injury is the real test.

Squad refresh ahead of Asian Games 2026

This isn't just a standalone series—India's clearly building toward the Asian Games. Bumrah's now cleared to play, and he's joining a batch of returning names: Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Sanju Samson (back from the Zimbabwe tour) and Varun Chakaravarthy.

Ishan Kishan's expected available too despite a minor fatigue issue in Thursday's session—his Duleep Trophy workload caught up with him, but he's fine.

Batting depth = selection headache (the good kind)

The top/middle order is stacked. Abhishek Sharma, Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are all pushing for spots, and Iyer's not hiding the fact that it'll be a tight call.

> "Having them in the team is a luxury... they've been performing consistently."

Role clarity over star power

Iyer's selection philosophy is straightforward: right player, right role, and players who understand what the team needs beyond just their job description. Deputy captain for the series? Tilak Varma.

Afghanistan come in under new T20 leadership—Ibrahim Zadran now in charge.

My read: India's got the depth to experiment, but Bumrah returning at full intensity is the real game-changer. If he's match-fit, this attack becomes a serious worry for any side.

Source: Crictracker