It’s in India’s hands to close out the series in Lucknow. The attention is on a Shubman Gill who is coming into his own as a leader and an Afghan batting line-up with some steel in it. We have the date, time and venue for the 2nd ODI, and after the way the first one went, the pressure is on.
Series on the line in Lucknow
A win here and the three-match ODI series is in the bag for India, who are 1-0 up. They had no trouble in Dharamshala, where they put on 7 wickets on the board thanks to an 84 from Gill and a bit of class from KL Rahul to put the final nail in the coffin with a boundary.
Gill, in the ODI cap, let off some steam early on and then put 11 fours and 2 sixes in the stands in 66 balls to make a point of it. It was a good answer to any naysayers about his form and a preview of the sort of calm you need when you’re up against some of the better spin and have to keep your end up.
Key battles shaping the rematch
Afghanistan won’t be having any of it. Gurbaz’s hundred in Dharamshala was a thing to see and he made India work for it when the momentum turned. Then there’s the other side of the ball: Rashid and Allah Ghazanfar made India think twice about how to go about things, and the pitch in Lucknow may well do the same for them.
Rohit had a bit of a rough patch, made worse by a sore wrist, and was run out after a mix-up with Gill. He’s still the man to change the course of a game. And Shreyas Iyer, out for 12 in 15 after being probed with a bouncer, will want to put some weight behind his bat at No. 4 and control the middle-overs.
India’s engine room and finishing power
You can count on KL Rahul to do what is needed in a chase. In the last one he made 39 in 19, with 34 of those coming in the form of boundaries – not without a little ruthlessness. He’s been to this track before and gives India the option of an anchor or a finisher.
Then there’s Washington Sundar, back in the 50-over fold for some much-needed versatility. After 377 runs for the Gujarat Titans in the 2026 IPL, his ability to do a bit of everything might be the difference if the ball starts to hold and the scoring dries up.
Bowling stakes: new faces, early impact
The jitters were all but gone for the new boys in the India camp.
You had Harsh Dubey and Gurnoor Brar in the mix for three wickets apiece. Brar made his mark right out of the gate with a wicket in his very first over, and Dubey didn’t take long to find his feet on a surface that was as flat as they come.
Then there was Nitish Kumar Reddy. With some 135 kmph+ pace and an eye for when to be aggressive, he chipped in with two wickets and some much-needed control. Arshdeep Singh was the one holding down the fort for the rest of the unit – 27 runs for two in five overs – and he’s been a good stand-in while the more experienced quicks have been out.
Prasidh Krishna, on the other hand, had a bit of an off day, giving it away without anything to show for it. Word is India may well make a tweak for Lucknow, and Prince Yadav is up for consideration. He put 16 wickets in the bag for the Super Giants in 14 games back in 2026, so he knows what he’s up against here.
Afghanistan’s side of the story
Shahidi’s lads will tell you they had India on the back foot with a bit of both: intent and spin. You had Gurbaz putting on the hammer and the spinners making every over a matter of give and take. If they can pile on the early runs and rattle the batters with some slow stuff, this game is on.
Can India’s top order get going?
With Virat out of the picture, Ishan Kishan has moved up to No. 3 and done his job. 34 from 22 with four of them for the boundary line is a nice left-handed touch in the powerplay. He’s been sharp with the gloves too, which is what you want to see at a place like Lucknow.
Gill is still your go-to man to turn the ball, and you’ll see why in this one. Get him and Rohit in and you have a platform; then Iyer and Rahul can do their thing and even Rashid and Ghazanfar can be made to pay.
The nitty-gritty
Dubey’s been a revelation since he made his debut and this pitch in Lucknow should suit him. Put him in with Sundar and you can make things difficult for the opposition. Afghanistan’s plan is to let Gurbaz be the aggressor and try to force a few mistakes in the middle overs.
When and where to be
– June 17, 2026
– 1:30 PM
– Lucknow
– India are 1-0 up (won the 1st ODI by 7)
What’s at stake
Win this and you put the series to bed and put some more weight behind Gill’s way of doing things. Let Afghanistan have their say and you’re in for a proper finish. One way or another, the next couple of days in Lucknow will be the story.
