IND vs AFG One-Off Test 2026 Preview: Key Battles, Head to Head And All You Need To Know
The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur is set to witness a historic one-off Test match between India and Afghanistan, commencing June 6, 2026. This marks only the second red-ball encounter between the two nations, with India aiming to continue their dominance while Afghanistan seeks to make a statement in their limited.
Cricket enthusiasts are gearing up for a significant red-ball showdown as India hosts Afghanistan in a one-off Test match, beginning Friday, June 6, 2026. The historic encounter will unfold at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, starting at 9:30 AM IST. Mullanpur, New Chandigarh Weather and Rain Forecast for IND vs AFG One-Off Test 2026.
This fixture holds particular importance as it marks only the second time these two nations have met in the longest format of the game. Afghanistan's Test debut in June 2018, where India secured a dominant victory by an innings and 262 runs in Bengaluru, wrapping up the match in just two days.
Head-to-Head: A Brief History
The Test history between India and Afghanistan is concise, with only one prior fixture:
| Match | Date | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-Off Test | June 14-15, 2018 | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | India | Innings & 262 Runs |
India has a perfect 1-0 record against Afghanistan in Test cricket.
Key Players and Squads
Both teams feature a blend of experienced campaigners and exciting young talent. India, currently ranked 3rd in ICC Men's Test Team Rankings, will be led by Shubman Gill, with KL Rahul as his deputy. Notable absentees for India include Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, who have been rested.
Afghanistan, captained by Hashmatullah Shahidi, will be without their star spinner Rashid Khan and batter Ibrahim Zadran for this Test.
India Test Squad:
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- KL Rahul (Vice-captain)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper)
- Sai Sudharsan
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
- Manav Suthar
- Gurnoor Brar
- Harsh Dubey
- Dhruv Jurel (Wicket-keeper)
Afghanistan Test Squad:
- Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain)
- Abdul Malik
- Sediqullah Atal
- Rahmat Shah
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Rahmanullah Zadran
- Afsar Zazai (Wicket-keeper)
- Ikram Alikhil (Wicket-keeper)
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Sharafudin Ashraf
- Nangyal Kharotai
- Qais Ahmad
- Bilal Sami
- Zia Sharifi
- Saleem Safi
Key Battles to Watch
The contest is poised to offer several intriguing battles:
India's Top Order vs Afghanistan's Spin: Even without Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's spin attack, potentially featuring Qais Ahmad and Sharafudin Ashraf, will look to trouble India's strong batting lineup led by Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Experience vs Enthusiasm: India's well-established Test players will face a passionate Afghanistan side, eager to prove their mettle in the red-ball format. The likes of Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna for India will test Afghanistan's relatively less experienced Test batting.
Captaincy Duel: The leadership of Shubman Gill for India, in his first Test as captain, against the experienced Hashmatullah Shahidi will be a crucial element in determining the flow of the match. India's Likely Playing XI for Afghanistan Test: Check Predicted 11 for IND vs AFG Cricket Match in Mullanpur.
Recent Test Form
India will be looking to bounce back after a challenging period in Test cricket, including a 0-2 home series defeat against South Africa in November 2025. This match also marks their first Test since that series. Afghanistan's last Test outing was a loss by an innings and 73 runs against Zimbabwe in Harare in October 2025. Afghanistan has played a total of 12 Test matches since their debut, securing 4 wins, 7 defeats, and 1 draw. Their inaugural Test was against India, which ended in a heavy defeat.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2026 11:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
