India will head into the second ODI against Afghanistan full of confidence after beginning the three-match series with a convincing victory in the opener on June 13. The Men in Blue secured a seven-wicket win in the rain-curtailed 25-over contest in Dharamsala to take a 1-0 lead, setting themselves up for a chance to seal the series in Lucknow.
Despite a sensational 102 off just 51 balls from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Afghanistan were bowled out for 194 thanks to impressive spells from debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey, who claimed three wickets each. India then chased down the revised target with 13 balls remaining, powered by Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 84 from 66 deliveries and a blistering 39 not out off 19 balls from KL Rahul. As attention shifts to the second ODI at the Ekana Stadium on June 17, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes the hosts could benefit from making a tactical change to their pace attack.
Aakash Chopra recommends young pacer to replace Prasidh Krishna in 2nd ODI
Sharing his thoughts ahead of the Lucknow clash, Chopra suggested that India could consider bringing in Prince Yadav in place of Prasidh Krishna. According to the former cricketer, workload management and local familiarity make a strong case for the change.
Notably, Prasidh did not have the most productive outing in the opening ODI, finishing with figures of 0 for 35 from his allotted five overs. While the numbers alone may not determine selection, Chopra believes rotating the fast bowler could help keep him fresh while rewarding Prince’s experience at the Lucknow venue.
“There will be help once again for Gurnoor Brar here. You can play Prince Yadav in place of Prasidh Krishna if you wish. You may toy with that idea because Prasidh plays a lot of cricket. He was playing the Test recently and has played the entire IPL. Prince has played on this ground itself for LSG, and he has done well. So maybe you want to try him,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
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High-stakes clash awaits in Lucknow
The second ODI promises plenty of intrigue as both teams head into a crucial encounter with different objectives. India know that another victory would wrap up the series with a game to spare and continue their strong run in home conditions.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have little margin for error. Having fallen behind 1-0, they must bounce back to force the contest into a decider and keep their hopes alive. Their batting showed flashes of brilliance in the opener through Gurbaz’s explosive century, but they will need a more complete team performance to challenge the hosts.
With selection debates gathering pace and the series on the line for Afghanistan, the stage is set for an exciting battle at the Ekana Stadium. Whether India stick with the same combination or heed calls for a change, all eyes will be on the team sheet when the two sides meet on June 17.
