Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: AFP]The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan. Notably, one of the biggest highlights of the squad was the return of Ishan Kishan to India’s ODI setup in place of Yashasvi Jaiswal.Several fresh faces have received opportunities, whereas a few senior and regular players have been left out or rested. As a result, fans are now excited to see how the Men in Blue plan to build a strong squad for the future.Notably, India last played an ODI series against New Zealand. Since then, the selectors have made several major changes in the squad. The main focus behind these changes is the 2027 World Cup.Therefore, the team management has started testing new players who are currently performing well in domestic cricket, IPL, and international tournaments.India’s ODI Squad Against New ZealandShubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.India’s ODI Squad Against AfghanistanShubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, and Harsh Dubey.The squad clearly shows that the selectors are preparing a new combination for upcoming 2027 World Cup. In addition, the management is rewarding players who have delivered consistent performances.Major Changes In The India’s ODI Squad After New Zealand SeriesPrince Yadav In, Harshit Rana OutOne of the biggest changes in the squad is the inclusion of Prince Yadav. The young pacer earned his maiden India call-up after excellent performances in domestic cricket and IPL 2026.Currently playing for LSG, Prince Yadav picked up 16 wickets in 13 matches during the IPL season. Apart from IPL success, he also impressed in the VHT 2025-26. During the tournament, he claimed 18 wickets in eight innings with an economy rate of 5.17.Meanwhile, Harshit Rana missed out due to injury concerns. The young pacer suffered a ligament injury during a warm-up match before the T20 World Cup. Consequently, he remained unavailable for the entire IPL season.Although Harshit Rana remains an important part of India’s future plans, the selectors decided to give Prince Yadav an opportunity in his absence. Therefore, Prince now has a golden chance to prove himself at the international level.Also Read: India's Test Squad vs Afghanistan- Ranji Trophy Top Performers Whom BCCI OverlookedIshan Kishan In, Yashasvi Jaiswal OutAnother major talking point is the return of Ishan Kishan to the ODI squad. The wicketkeeper-batter has impressed everyone with his aggressive batting in recent months.Ishan enjoyed a fantastic domestic season with Jharkhand. He guided the team to their maiden SMAT title and finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament. Following that success, he earned a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad.During the tournament, Ishan scored 317 runs in nine innings at a strike rate close to 193. Furthermore, he ended as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the competition. His brilliant form continued in IPL 2026, where he played several impactful innings.As a result, the selectors included him in the ODI squad against Afghanistan. On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal lost his place in the team. Jaiswal was mainly considered a backup opener behind Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.Even though he performed decently in the South Africa ODI series, the team management seems more interested in Ishan Kishan’s current form and versatility. Notably, Ishan Kishan provides additional balance to the team as he can contribute both as a wicketkeeper and an opening batter. As a result, India can gain more flexibility in team selection and include an extra bowler or an all-rounder in the playing XI.Harsh Dubey In, Ravindra Jadeja OutYoung all-rounder Harsh Dubey also received his maiden India call-up. The Vidarbha cricketer has been one of the top performers in domestic cricket over the last two seasons.Dubey had a record-breaking Ranji Trophy 2024-25 campaign, taking 69 wickets and helping Vidarbha win the title. Later, he also captained the side to their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy triumph.In addition, he earned India A selection and performed strongly in both T20 and red-ball cricket. His consistent performances eventually caught the attention of the national selectors.Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja has been rested for the Afghanistan series. Therefore, Harsh Dubey entered the squad as a like-for-like replacement. The management now wants to test new all-round options ahead of the World Cup preparations.Gurnoor Brar In, Mohammed Siraj OutThe exclusion of Mohammed Siraj surprised many fans. Notably, Siraj managed only three wickets during the ODI series against New Zealand. Although the exact reason behind his omission remains unclear, the selectors decided to try a fresh pace option.It is important to note that Gurnoor Brar received the opportunity after impressive domestic performances. The tall pacer performed well in the VHT 2025-26 and also delivered strongly for India A against Australia A.Moreover, Brar’s raw pace and bounce impressed the selectors. Even though he has not yet played in IPL regularly, his domestic numbers remain very promising. Therefore, the Afghanistan series could become a big turning point in his cricket career.Also Read: ICC Brutally Punishes Pakistan Star Player; Moves Closer To Ban
.jpg?type=mq "ICC Brutally Punishes Pakistan Star Player; Moves Closer To Ban")