IND vs AFG Live Score: No Virat Kohli, battle for No. 3 spot begins

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi believes spin will be his team's biggest weapon against India as they begin their preparations for the 2027 World Cup.

Speaking ahead of the opening ODI, Shahidi identified Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar and veteran Mohammad Nabi as the key figures who could trouble the hosts in familiar conditions. He pointed out that Afghanistan had previous experience of playing in Dharamsala during the 2023 World Cup and expected spin-friendly surfaces to work in their favour.

"I feel that our advantage will be spinners," Shahidi said.

The skipper acknowledged the enormity of the challenge posed by India, finalists at the previous World Cup, but insisted that rankings and reputations count for little in a fresh cycle. Afghanistan currently occupy seventh place in the ICC ODI rankings and are eager to build momentum towards the 2027 showpiece.

India also received a major boost with Rohit Sharma declared fit after recovering from the hamstring injury that had sidelined him. The veteran opener took part in training and showed no signs of discomfort, prompting Morkel to dismiss any lingering concerns over his availability.

"He has passed all his fitness tests. He's cleared and ready to go. Even if there is a slight niggle, I can assure you there's nothing wrong with Rohit," Morkel said.

The bowling coach added that Rohit's experience and leadership remain invaluable, especially with Kohli unavailable for the series. Having two of India's most senior players in the dressing room has often provided stability to the younger members of the squad, and Morkel admitted that everyone was excited to see the former captain back in action after his brief injury setback.

Morkel was equally impressed by the skill sets of Prince and Gurnoor, saying both bowlers have clearly invested considerable effort into improving their craft. The former South African speedster praised their accuracy and discipline, qualities he believes are essential for success in international cricket.

"They're on the money, accurate. And that makes my life a little bit easier," he said.

Morkel added that the coaching group would continue to work on helping the youngsters manage middle overs and execute plans effectively at the death. He also indicated that head coach Gautam Gambhir is likely to provide opportunities to both players during the Afghanistan series.

"It's different playing international cricket with an Indian badge. We're excited to have them," Morkel said, expressing satisfaction with what he had seen from the group since taking charge.

India could hand ODI debuts to either Prince Yadav or left-arm pacer Gurnoor Brar during the series, and both youngsters have already left a strong impression on the coaching staff. Morkel revealed that the pair have blended into the squad seamlessly and have displayed remarkable confidence despite being newcomers.

Gurnoor, who has served as a net bowler for India over the years, and Prince have impressed with their attitude and work ethic.

"My first impressions, it is sort of almost like they've been part of the squad for five years. I saw no nervousness in their face," Morkel said.

The bowling coach acknowledged that international cricket can be daunting, especially while representing India, but said the two pacers had shown maturity beyond their years and had embraced the challenge with enthusiasm.

Virat Kohli's injury has opened up one of the most important positions in the batting order and India bowling coach Morne Morkel confirmed that the team intends to use the Afghanistan series to test different candidates at No. 3.

Morkel said the management is keeping its options open and could hand opportunities to KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal over the course of the three-match series.

According to the former South Africa pacer, the objective is to gather as much information as possible about players in varying roles before the 2027 World Cup.

"Even if it's Ishan or KL or Yashasvi, it's a nice opportunity now. We've got a couple of one-day games coming up and we'll give guys opportunity in different slots," Morkel said. He added that developing flexibility within the squad would allow India to structure the team better and create multiple backup options.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the first ODI between India and Afghanistan in Dharamsala.

Ishan Kishan's wicketkeeping drills on the eve of the first ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala provided the biggest clue yet that India could be preparing for a significant shake-up in their one-day setup.

While Kishan spent considerable time behind the stumps during Friday's practice session, regular wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul was seen working on high catches in the outfield. Rahul has been India's first-choice wicketkeeper in limited-overs cricket for several years and has cemented the No. 5 position in the batting order.

However, Kishan's return to the ODI squad and Virat Kohli's absence due to injury have given the team management an opportunity to experiment. The move also raises the possibility of Rahul moving up the order and being relieved of wicketkeeping duties as India begin their preparations for the 2027 World Cup in earnest.