India will play a brave Afghanistan in a one-off Test at Mullanpur on Saturday, which could help the hosts find a balanced combination. India is battling the demons of a terrible home Test run in the not too distant past, but they are still a formidable unit.
On the second day of the 2018 Test match against India, Afghanistan lost ten wickets in a session between lunch and tea. Between tea and stumps of the day’s play, which also marked the end of the game, the following ten fell by the wayside.
Hashmatullah Shahidi would like his team to at least stretch the home team, as they are going through a difficult transition time and will be experimenting with different combinations throughout this encounter.
Despite the disparity in experience, the Indians would be wise to not take the opposition lightly and would not have forgotten the 0-2 thrashing they had from a well-prepared South Africa last year.
Before the crucial two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in August, captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir would like to complete two parts of the puzzle: a stable No. 3 and Ravindra Jadeja’s possible replacement in red ball cricket.
The administration of the Indian team will also have to decide whether to stick with Sai Sudharsan or allow the fashionable Devdutt Padikkal to win two more games.
There isn’t much to choose between the two young players, and a strong score against this Afghan bowling assault doesn’t necessarily translate into success against stronger opponents. However, Gambhir and top selector Ajit Agarkar might feel comfortable giving the player a long run.
Although Ravindra Jadeja has been rested for this game, the Indian selectors and team management are attempting to consider other options in order to get ready for life after the Rajkot all-rounder. His bowling form has significantly declined, and he hasn’t been as sharp as the team management would have preferred, which is the basis for this search.
Jadeja still has some breathing room because his Test match batting in foreign conditions is still his USP. However, two possible successors have been identified by Indian cricket.
Manav Suthar, a traditional slow left-arm orthodox bowler from Rajasthan, and Vidarbha utility “bits and pieces” cricketer Harsh Dubey are now the two options. Suthar appears to be the man of the future if the net sessions of the last few days were any indication. He has a more classical motion and the ability to make the ball hang in the air. He appears to be capable of challenging both the inside and outside edges of the bat.
In contrast, Dubey appears to be a more defensive bowler who primarily bowls straight lines. He does, however, encounter a clean hitter, which makes him comparable to Jadeja in overseas settings. The decision will be difficult and will reveal the tactical mindset of the team management.
When one looks at the numbers, the disparity between the two sides becomes more apparent. Afghanistan has played 11 additional matches until June 2026 since their first-ever Test match against India in Bengaluru in 2018, which the hosts won in two days.
Additionally, Rishabh Pant has participated in 49 of the 67 Test matches that India has played throughout this time. Add to that, when Afghanistan last played India, Pant had not yet made his Test debut. The only member of the current Indian Test team from the 2018 squad is KL Rahul, while Afghanistan’s captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and batsman Rahmat Shah also participated in that match.
This new Indian team has amassed 39 Test tons, whereas Afghanistan’s entire batting lineup has only amassed nine. Although Shahidi’s team conducted a camp in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, a team cannot be prepared for a Test match by just training sessions only.
The encounter appears to be somewhat ill-timed for both teams given the oppressive June heat in North India. Additionally, it has been wedged between a month-long White Ball tour of the United Kingdom and two months of the Indian Premier League.
After fielding drills inside the main arena, the Indian players would get into SUVs one at a time during the training sessions and be taken half a kilometer to the nearby ground for net practice. If it weren’t for the intense afternoon sun, this would have been a walkable distance.
India vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head:
India and Afghanistan have only ever played one Test match, which took place in June 2018 at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. India won by an innings and 262 runs, dominating the game. India amassed 474 in their first innings before bundling out Afghanistan for 109 and 103.
India vs Afghanistan Pitch Report:
It is anticipated that the pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium would provide a fair contest between bat and ball. Fast bowlers should be able to make an impact with the new ball early in the game because the black-soil surface should offer good carry and bounce. As the game progresses, batting conditions should improve. However, it is expected that the surface would slow down as the Test goes on, giving spinners more turn and grip and enabling them to enter the game.
India vs Afghanistan Weather Report:
In Mullanpur, the first day of the Test is expected to be hot and mostly dry. Temperatures could reach 38°C in the afternoon, although humidity will likely stay at 32%. Although there is a chance of thunderstorms in the morning, the forecast suggests that conditions will improve later in the day. It is expected to be bright and gloomy for much of the game, with little risk of heavy rain after the early hours.
India vs Afghanistan Probable XIs:
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangyal Kharotai, Qais Ahmad, Bilal Sami, Saleem Safi
FAQs:
When is the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan scheduled?
The one-off Test between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to start from Saturday, June 6, 2026.
What time does the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan scheduled to start?
The one-off Test between India and Afghanistan will start at 9:30 AM IST.
Where is the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan scheduled to take place?
The one-off Test between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to be played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.
Which TV channel will broadcast the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan?
The one-off Test between India and Afghanistan will be broadcast on Star Sports Network.
Where can one catch the live streaming of the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan?
The live streaming of the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan will be available on JioHotstar.
