3 unlucky players who missed out on India's T20I squad for AFG series

The All India Men's Senior Selection Committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, announced India's 15-member squad for a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on September 1. All three matches will be held at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, from September 13 to September 17, 2026.

Shreyas Iyer will captain the side, with Tilak Varma named as vice-captain. While several players returned to the squad after injury or absence, a few notable names did not find a place despite their recent performances.

Rinku Singh is a left-handed batter who was part of India's T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series earlier this year. He contributed with the bat during that tour and has been in solid form across domestic formats, including the UPT20 League, where he has been regarded as a reliable finishing option.

Despite those performances, Rinku did not find a place in the squad for the Afghanistan series. The selectors appear to have preferred the current set of middle-order batters, leaving Rinku without a T20I assignment for this series. Rinku has scored 702 runs in 48 T20Is at an average of 36.95 and a strike rate of 156.35, with a best score of 69. His numbers underline his effectiveness as a high-impact batter in the shortest format.