India to play Afghanistan in one-off Test match in June
This will only be the second face-off for the two sides in Test cricket
India to field a full-strength squad for the match
India To Field Full-Strength Squad In One-Off Test Match Against Afghanistan - Report
Even though India's Test match against Afghanistan is not part of the World Test Championship cycle, the team will still field its full-strength squad.
Summary
Team India is all set to play a one-off Test match against Afghanistan which is set to take place from June 6 to June 10, 2026. This is only the second time these two teams will face each other in the longest format of the game. Their first meeting was back in 2018, where India won easily within two days. While India is the heavy favorite, Afghanistan has improved a lot in recent years and will look to challenge the hosts with their world-class spinners.
However, India enters this match facing serious Test match woes. While the team has been dominant in white-ball cricket, their form in Red-ball cricket has been poor over the last year. In 2025, India struggled significantly in the longest format, losing a home series to South Africa by a record margin.
There are growing concerns about the batting unit’s consistency, as the team has relied too much on senior players. Experts have also pointed out that leadership changes and a lack of clear strategy under coach Gautam Gambhir have affected the team's performance in home conditions.
This Test match is a vital chance for India to fix these issues before their tough away tours to England and New Zealand later this year. For Afghanistan, it is an opportunity to prove they can compete at the highest level of cricket.
India To Field Full-Strength Squad Against Afghanistan
The selection committee is also unlikely to compromise on team strength for the one-off Test against Afghanistan at Mullanpur, even though it does not have World Test Championship points to offer.
It is understood that with nine Tests to be played between August and March, all top red-ball players, including the front-line bowlers, will be available for the game.
Even Bumrah and Siraj, unless there is a niggle during the IPL, will also be a part of the Afghanistan squad.
"The India Test cap isn't for experimentation. For that, you have India A shadow tours. As of now, in Tests, Bumrah, Siraj and Prasidh are top three bowlers on the selectors' radar," the BCCI source said.
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(With PTI Inputs)
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