India introduced young fast bowler Prince Yadav on debut as they took on Afghanistan in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bowl first, while India looked to extend their 1-0 lead in the series.
The Prince Yadav debut became one of the key highlights of the match as India continued to test young talent in the ongoing series.
Prince Yadav Debuts as India Make Key Changes
Fast bowler Prince Yadav became the third debutant for India in this series after Harsh Dubey and Gurnoor Brar. His inclusion reflects India’s strategy of rotating and testing emerging players in the ODI setup.
Alongside Prince Yadav, India also brought back Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kuldeep Yadav as they aimed to strengthen both batting and bowling departments.
Nitish Kumar Reddy Ruled Out Due to Injury
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy missed out on selection due to a sore left thigh. The BCCI confirmed that he is under medical observation and will be assessed further.
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Reddy had impressed in the first ODI, making his absence a notable change in India’s combination.
Captains’ Comments at Toss
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said the pitch looked fresh and likely to assist spin early. He admitted his side needed better partnerships after the opening loss.
India captain Shubman Gill said he would have preferred to bowl first but was happy to bat and test conditions. He also confirmed the inclusion of Prince Yadav along with Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Match Context and Series Update
India entered the match with confidence after a dominant win in the first ODI. Afghanistan had posted 194 runs but failed to convert starts into a strong total.
India’s bowling attack, including debutants in the previous game, performed well, helping the team secure a comfortable victory.
The addition of Prince Yadav further strengthens India’s focus on building a strong bench ahead of future international assignments.
Playing XIs
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Darwish Rasooli, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Bilal Sami
The spotlight in this Prince Yadav-led moment of the India vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI remains on India’s young talent pipeline, as the team continues to experiment while maintaining strong performance in the series.