'Will not affect the team's performance' - Ajinkya Rahane's massive take on omission of Rinku, Kuldeep for AFG vs IND 2026 T20Is

India announced a 15-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on September 1, 2026. The squad, led by captain Shreyas Iyer with Tilak Varma as vice-captain, features eight changes from the Zimbabwe series squad. All three matches will be held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi between September 13 and 17, 2026.

Ajinkya Rahane offered his perspective on the notable omissions of middle-order batter Rinku Singh and spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the squad. Rahane stated that the exclusion of these two players would not impact the team's overall performance. He explained his reasoning by noting that all players in the Indian setup possess equal skill levels and are well-equipped to perform at the international level.

"I don't think the exclusion of one or two players (Rinku and Kuldeep) will affect the performance of the team. Personally, I want Rinku to get a chance, as he has shown consistency in the IPL and even in the UPT20 league. He has shown it in his batting and has contributed whenever he got the opportunity." Rahane said in a video on his Hindi YouTube channel.

"We must remember that his contributions have come at numbers five, six, or seven, and these are very difficult numbers for a batter in T20. I do want to see him and Kuldeep back. But it will not affect the team's performance, as all players are equally equipped skill-wise," he added, as quoted by YouTube.

Rahane on the impact of Rinku and Kuldeep's omission

Rinku Singh was part of India's 2026 T20 World Cup-winning campaign and has been a regular in India's T20I setup since making his debut on August 18, 2023, against Ireland. During the 2026 IPL, Rinku accumulated 295 runs at an average of 59.00 with a strike rate of 148.98, demonstrating strong form in the domestic league.

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Rahane's confidence in India's chances against Afghanistan

Rahane also expressed confidence in India's prospects for the upcoming series. He predicted that the Indian team would win the series and acknowledged that Afghanistan would present a competitive challenge. However, he emphasised that India's current strength in the T20 format makes it difficult for any opposition to compete when playing on Indian soil.

"I feel the Indian team will win the series. It is difficult for Afghanistan, or any other team, when they are playing India in India. The team has gone through and followed the process to get to the stage they are at. The system and BCCI also have to be credited. Afghanistan will fight, but you cannot keep India behind in this format at the moment," Rahane said.