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India vs Afghanistan Test 2026: Gill-Led India Set for New Season Opener, Debuts Likely in New Chandigarh

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Chandigarh
  • Jun 05, 2026
  • 117

India will kick off their 2026 Test season with a one-off Test against Afghanistan (acb.af) beginning on June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. The match marks India's return to red-ball cricket after their previous Test series defeat against South Africa last November.

Although the India vs Afghanistan Test is not part of the ICC World Test Championship (icc-cricket.com), the fixture carries significant importance as the team management looks to assess new talent and finalize combinations for upcoming international assignments.

India Likely to Hand Debuts, Key Selection Decisions Await

The Indian team is expected to unveil at least two debutants during the Test. Captain Shubman Gill and the coaching staff are still weighing their options regarding the No. 3 batting position and the third spin-bowling slot.

Opening duties are likely to be shared by Yashasvi Jaiswal and vice-captain KL Rahul. Rahul enters the contest in excellent touch after scoring 593 runs for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026. The experienced batter also enjoyed a successful Test campaign against England last year, accumulating 539 runs in five matches.

Jaiswal remains one of India's most promising young batters. The Rajasthan Royals star finished IPL 2026 with 427 runs and also demonstrated leadership skills while captaining the franchise in selected matches.

Devdutt Padikkal Ahead in Race for No. 3 Spot

A key selection battle is unfolding between Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan for the crucial No. 3 position.

Padikkal's outstanding domestic performances may give him the advantage. The Karnataka captain scored 532 runs in five Ranji Trophy matches, including a memorable double century against Uttarakhand.

Sai Sudharsan, despite finishing as one of IPL 2026's highest run-scorers with 722 runs, is still seeking consistency in Test cricket. The left-handed batter has registered 302 runs in six Test appearances.

Captain Shubman Gill is expected to occupy the No. 4 position, while wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is likely to bat at No. 5.

Rishabh Pant Faces Fresh Challenge in Test Cricket

All eyes will be on Rishabh Pant following a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign with Lucknow Super Giants, where he scored 312 runs.

The poor season resulted in Pant losing the Test vice-captaincy, with KL Rahul taking over the role. However, Pant's achievements in Test cricket continue to make him one of India's most valuable red-ball players.

Since his Test debut in 2018, no Indian batter has scored more Test runs than Pant. During India's previous England tour, he amassed 479 runs at an average of 68.43 and was subsequently named among Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year.

Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy to Play Crucial Roles

India's balance will largely depend on all-rounders Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Sundar has already demonstrated his versatility by batting in the top order during previous Test assignments. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy continues to develop into a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder, consistently bowling above 135 kmph during IPL 2026.

His ability to contribute with both bat and ball provides India with valuable depth.

Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar in Contention for Test Debut

With senior all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel rested, India are expected to introduce a new spin-bowling all-rounder.

Vidarbha's Harsh Dubey and Rajasthan's Manav Suthar are the leading candidates. Dubey emerged as a domestic cricket sensation after taking a record 69 wickets during Vidarbha's Ranji Trophy-winning campaign.

Suthar, meanwhile, has been a regular performer for India A and remains highly rated by the national selectors and coaching staff.

Mohammed Siraj to Lead Pace Attack

Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is expected to spearhead India's pace unit in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested.

Prasidh Krishna remains a strong contender for the second seamer's role, although Punjab pacer Gurnur Brar has also impressed selectors after claiming 22 wickets in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League.

Afghanistan Aim to Challenge India

Afghanistan will be captained by Hashmatullah Shahidi and are expected to field a competitive lineup featuring Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

The visitors will rely heavily on all-rounders Azmatullah Omarzai, Afsar Zazai and Sharafuddin Ashraf to deliver strong performances against the hosts.

Probable Afghanistan Playing XI

Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Afsar Zazai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Qais Ahmad and Bilal Sami.

India vs Afghanistan ODI Series Schedule

Following the Test match, India and Afghanistan will compete in a three-match ODI series.

  • First ODI: Dharamsala – June 14

  • Second ODI: Lucknow – June 17

  • Third ODI: Chennai – June 20

All matches are scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM IST.

Readers can follow complete India vs Afghanistan Test coverage, playing XI updates, match analysis, and live cricket news on TheTripuraPost at https://thetripurapost.com