India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I 2026 predicted lineups, will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi return to starting XI for dead rubber clash in Delhi?

India face Afghanistan in a dead rubber third T20I at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, having already sealed the series 2-0.

Captain Shreyas Iyer has hinted that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could finally get his chance after being benched for the first two matches.

Sanju Samson answered his critics with a match-winning 57 off 22 balls in the second T20I.

Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi finally get his chance against Afghanistan?

India head into the third T20I against Afghanistan on Thursday with nothing left to play for in terms of the series result, and that has opened the door for a selection call that had looked increasingly unlikely just two days ago.

Sanju Samson silenced any lingering doubts about his place in the second T20I, striking a 22-ball 57, his biggest score since the T20 World Cup, to help India chase down 160 in just 14.5 overs and wrap up the series with a match to spare.

That knock came after a low score of 10 from the opener, which had put his position under scrutiny, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi still waiting for a game. Despite Samson's response, captain Shreyas Iyer used his post-match press conference to signal that changes are coming for the dead rubber.

Speaking after the win, Iyer stressed the value of giving fringe squad members game time and familiarity with conditions, a comment widely read as confirmation that Sooryavanshi could finally make his home debut.

Varun Chakravarthy remains unavailable with the side strain sustained in the opener. That leaves India managing a similar bowling reshuffle to the one that saw Ravi Bishnoi come into the XI for the second match.

India's probable XI and starting lineup for 3rd T20I against Afghanistan

Below is a predicted lineup for India's third and final match of the T20I series against Afghanistan in Delhi.

Afghanistan predicted XI for the Delhi finale

Afghanistan will again lean on their spin-heavy attack led by Rashid Khan, who claimed 3 for 36 in the second match, while looking for their batters to finally get a start against an Indian attack that has bowled them out inside their full quota in both games so far.

Sooryavanshi's chance may have arrived at the wrong moment for Samson

There is a genuine irony in how this selection debate has played out. Samson did exactly what was asked of him after a shaky start, playing the kind of innings that should end any talk of his place being under threat.

Instead, it only led to the series being sealed early, opening the door for the very player he was supposedly holding back. While not a knock on Iyer's thinking, a dead rubber series finale isn't a game where Sooryavanshi can prove his claim for the opener spot.

What it'll do, however, is give the 15-year-old his first look on home soil, particularly with the Asian Games squad needing further clarity before India travel to Japan. The awkward part is what it says about Samson's situation going forward and his position in India's white-ball pecking order.

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