Afghanistan will host India for three T20Is in Delhi.
After being sidelined due to a left knee injury he acquired while fielding in the second ODI against England in Cardiff in July, Bumrah is scheduled to return to international cricket. His return gives the Indian bowling assault the much-needed cutting edge.
However, Zadran maintained that his team is avoiding overcomplicating the challenge presented by the star fast bowler by sticking to a straightforward strategy.
"If you look at Jasprit Bumrah, he is one of the best, and he is my favorite fast bowler. We as a group never think things in a complicated way for ourselves. So, we have a very good plan for him, and we just thought about how to play against him, and hopefully we are going to play better cricket against Jasprit Bumrah or the Indian Cricket Team," Zadran told reporters in a press conference on Saturday.
He was also asked about the teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who set the IPL 2026 on fire with 776 runs, including one century and five fifties. Zadran stated that Afghanistan players who played against Sooryavanshi in IPL 2026 have provided important intel about the batter.
"He is an amazing talent. Recently, he played great cricket in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and he has been performing well at a different level in cricket events. We have thought about him, and we have gained that knowledge from those guys who have played against him in the IPL.
We have already watched his videos, and we just try to keep it very simple for ourselves, just to execute the right plans at the right time against him. We are just trying to make things simple for us, not complicated," he stated.
Targeting a historic first series victory against India, Zadran believes focusing on execution and process will yield positive results.
"Yes, we have played better cricket against India. In 2024, we had two super overs against them in the T20I series in Bengaluru. At the ICC events, we have played better cricket against them. As you mentioned, we have never beaten them. Hopefully, we are going to play a good series, win a game, and win a series from them. But it's all about execution of the plan and giving your 100 percent.
It's about trying to make things easy for ourselves, not complicated. Yes, we just try to give 100 percent. Don't think about the result; just try to think about the process and how we are going to deliver. I am sure we will have a better series,” Zadran stated.
Hosting an away T20I series against India in India sounds a bit unfamiliar, but Zadran felt it represents a historic milestone for Afghan cricket.
"I would say it's a great sign for us to host India in their home country for the first time. It's a great achievement for us and our cricket. I'm sure it will help a lot. I can't say anything about the pitch or the wicket. Yes, we have looked at the pitches and the wicket. As I have mentioned earlier, we have played better cricket. In India, we have played at many different venues.
We have the understanding and the idea of how to play here. Yes, we will just try to make things easy for ourselves and not think over a lot. We know the wickets and how it's going to behave. We just need to execute our plans well and give 100 percent and show the energy,” Zadran stated.
The next two T20Is will also be played in Delhi on September 15 and 17.
(IANS inputs)