On Saturday in Chennai, India eyes a full-series win over Afghanistan in the final ODI. Though the trophy is already secured, the contest means more for KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal – each seeking a firm footing in India’s long-term lineup before the 2027 ODI World Cup arrives.

With form under pressure, every run counts differently this time around.
Pressure builds on Jaiswal now. Back in the ODI squad after a gap since December 2025, he scraped just four runs during the Lucknow match. Before that, a solid 116 not out versus South Africa in Visakhapatnam.

With Ishan Kishan returning plus Virat Kohli expected soon, places up front are harder to hold. Too many strong names chasing too few slots.

Yashasvi Jaiswal faces selection pressure, KL Rahul eyes new role

Jaiswal stepped into the opener role beside Rohit Sharma after Kishan’s hundred in Lucknow shifted things around. Captain Shubman Gill slid down to three to create space, adjusting the lineup mid-flow. Once Kohli heals from his hamstring issue, he will probably take back that number-three spot again. That shift would naturally push Gill upward in the batting list once more.

Still, Jaiswal faces a tight race for playing time. Because Kishan plays there already, and Shreyas Iyer holds another spot, chances are few. Every moment on the field becomes vital now. The selection committee will name India’s ODI team for the England tour shortly.

Hard times come up now and then, admitted India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. Still, he said, dealing with pressure has always been woven into the game there.

“He’s someone waiting in the wings because of the quality and depth we have in that position.

“Jaiswal gets opportunities, but it’s incredibly tough because there’s so much quality. When he gets chances like this, he has to score runs. That’s the nature of Indian cricket. There’s no hiding from it.”
He said those picked now and then usually face just a few chances. Staying in the mix means making the most of each one right away.
Though Jaiswal fights for selection, KL Rahul deals with shifting roles. With Shreyas Iyer back, Rahul may slide to six – away from his usual five spot.

That spot number five, KL Rahul owns it – 1,517 runs across 38 games, averaging 63.20, packing three big hundreds and ten fifties. Drop down a place, though, and things shift; fifteen outings at six brought only 332 runs, sitting at 41.50, marked by a single fifty.

A man aged 34 must adjust to briefer batting turns, making the most of fewer chances – sometimes by scoring fast in short bursts, sometimes by steering matches near the end.

Nitish likely to return, Harshit Rana added to squad

Back on his feet following recovery work at the BCCI Center of Excellence, pacer Harshit Rana now joins India’s squad.

Back in the lineup, most likely, is Nitish Kumar Reddy – missed game two due to discomfort in his left leg. His role is full circle now that he’s fit again.
“Nitish probably could have played the last game as well. He will be good to go for tomorrow’s game,” ten Doeschate confirmed.

If he keeps playing, Gurnoor Brar stays in line for another outing, given India are testing backup options across varied pitches. While the team experiments, his role remains tied to how they measure depth under changing skies.

Chennai awaits them, a chance tucked into the final match after tough weeks under Indian skies. Not much went right out there – neither bat nor ball found rhythm through long spells. The results piled up fast, one loss following another across formats. Still, something shifts when pride enters the picture. They’ll walk in again, eyes set on better hours despite what stands behind.

Squads

India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharotai, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Malik, Bilal Sami.

Match starts at: 1:30 PM IST.