Mohammad Saleem joins Afghanistan ODI squad for India series in 2026

Afghanistan added fast bowler Mohammad Saleem to their ODI squad for the series against India in 2026.

Squad updates before ODIs Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi were absent from the team's final practice in Mohali. It is known that Rashid will arrive directly in Dharamsala to join the group, while Nabi, who is traveling with the squad, is suffering from illness. Mohammad Saleem, who was initially only part of Afghanistan's Test team, has now been included for the ODI matches against India. Before this, he had taken six wickets in the lone Test against India in New Chandigarh, bowling impressively despite the extreme heat and a pitch that did not favor fast bowlers. ## Saleem's standout Test performance Playing under oppressive heat, Saleem consistently reached speeds of 140kph and delivered lengthy spells, despite the pitch offering little assistance to fast bowlers. He stood out as one of the few positive performers for Afghanistan, who suffered an innings-and-350-run defeat. During the match, Saleem also caught Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a sharp short-of-a-length delivery. ## Coach praises Saleem's impact Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus expressed admiration for Saleem's performance in the Test. He remarked, 'He was just fantastic. If you come here and you take six wickets in extreme heat against high-quality batting, that goes very well, not just for him as a bowler, but for us as a side.' Saleem bowled first change and did not get a chance to share the second new ball either. ## Learning curve for new coach When questioned about Saleem not bowling with the second new ball, Pybus explained that since it was his first assignment with the team, he was still learning about the players' strengths and combinations. He added, 'I don't have any history with these guys before. So in terms of their combinations, this is part of my learning curve. I do know that he has had some niggles in the past. So, yeah, it's just getting them on the park consistently and allowing them to back up these performances.' ## Series schedule details Following the first ODI, the teams will travel to Lucknow before concluding the series in Chennai. Afghanistan's squad for the ODI series includes Mohammad Saleem, who has been added after his strong Test showing. The series will mark another chapter in the rivalry between Afghanistan and India as they compete in multiple ODIs across different venues.