India's next red-ball assignment sees them host Afghanistan in a one-off Test in Mullanpur, starting this weekend. Ahead of the encounter, the national selectors revised the leadership hierarchy, appointing KL Rahul as Test vice-captain and ending Rishabh Pant's tenure in the position. In another significant decision, Jasprit Bumrah has been granted a full rest from the Afghanistan series, with the move covering the Test match and the subsequent ODI encounters as preparations intensify for England.
The upcoming clash marks India's return to Test cricket for the first time since suffering a 2-0 home series defeat against South Africa last November. Alongside the absent Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, selectors have also left out spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel and seamer Akash Deep.
India's squad features three fresh faces, with Rajasthan's left-arm spinning all-rounder Manav Suthar and Punjab quick Gurnoor Brar earning maiden Test call-ups, while Vidarbha spinner Harsh Dubey has also been rewarded with a place in the side.
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Shubman Gill returns to the red-ball setup after missing the final Test against South Africa in Guwahati last year. The right-hander was sidelined by a neck injury sustained while batting in the opening Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Fresh from an outstanding IPL 2026 campaign that saw him finish as the tournament's second-leading run-getter, Gill is expected to resume his familiar No. 4 role against Afghanistan in Mullanpur's inaugural Test.
In response to their recent Test loss in Harare, Afghanistan has reshaped the squad with a string of personnel changes. A notable boost comes in the form of the returning Rahmat Shah, who missed the Zimbabwe encounter through injury. Several fresh faces have earned opportunities, including Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai and Qais Ahmad, while Ismat Alam and Yamin Ahmadzai have been left out after failing to make a significant impact in the previous outing.
India vs Afghanistan Test Match: Date
The India vs Afghanistan Test match will be played from June 6.
India vs Afghanistan Test Match: Time
The India vs Afghanistan Test match will start at 9:30 a.m. IST.
India vs Afghanistan Test Match: Venue
The India vs Afghanistan Test match will be played at New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh.
India vs Afghanistan Test Match: Live Telecast
The India vs Afghanistan Test match will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network.
India vs Afghanistan Test Match: Live Streaming
The India vs Afghanistan Test match will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website.
India vs Afghanistan Test Match: Tickets
Ticket bookings for the India versus Afghanistan fixture have gone live on District's website and app. The available categories are priced at Rs 250, Rs 1,500, Rs 2,000, Rs 2,500, Rs 4,000 and Rs 10,000, offering a range of options for spectators.
India vs Afghanistan Test Match: Squads
India: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Dhruv Jurel (WK).
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmanullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafudin Ashraf, Nangyal Kharotai, Qais Ahmad, Bilal Sami, Zia Sharifi, Saleem Safi.
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