Shreyas Iyer undecided on opening pair for first T20 against Afghanistan

India captain Shreyas Iyer appeared to be in a real bind ahead of the first T20 against Afghanistan. At the pre-match press conference, the first question put to him was who would open the innings. Iyer admitted openly that leaving out any of the current opening options would not be easy.

India's T20 squad currently has three openers, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, and all three are in excellent form. The biggest question facing the captain is which of the three to leave out of the playing eleven. Asked about the opening pair, Iyer said, "This decision is going to be very difficult, because they are all performing consistently well. It is important to speak to the players who are left out along with the coach, and assure them that whatever happens, they will get their chance at the right time."

It is believed that Sanju Samson may have to make way in the first T20 against Afghanistan, as Abhishek Sharma is widely expected to open the innings. Abhishek has been India's best T20 batter over the last two years, with the highest strike rate among batters who have scored at least 500 T20 runs. On the other hand, given Vaibhav Suryavanshi's batting style, leaving him out will also not be an easy call for the captain. In such a scenario, Sanju Samson remains the only option who could be dropped.

It is worth noting that during the England tour, Vaibhav Suryavanshi was included in the playing eleven in place of Sanju Samson. Although Vaibhav's debut series was not particularly impactful, he made his mark against Zimbabwe. He also batted impressively in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy. This is why Vaibhav is now seen as more likely to open the innings alongside Abhishek.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has recently returned from playing the Duleep Trophy, while Abhishek Sharma has performed impressively in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League. This is why the two are seen as more likely to be picked. Fans, too, want to see Vaibhav and Abhishek on the field again. It remains to be seen whom Shreyas eventually picks.