India will begin their 2026 Test calendar with a one-off match against Afghanistan at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on June 6. It will also mark captain Shubman Gillโs return to the Test side after missing Indiaโs last red-ball outing against South Africa in Guwahati due to a neck injury.
His leadership will be monitored closely in this one-off affair. The coaching unit will feel the pressure as well, especially after losing two home series, to New Zealand and South Africa, respectively, in 2024 and 2025. If they suffer against Afghanistan, the think tank may consider a change in coaching personnel for red-ball cricket.ย
When it comes to the batting side of the business, Gill has been a force to reckon with. He has seen a strong individual start, including a 754-run series in his debut stretch as full-time captain. From No. 4, he has accumulated 939 runs in 13 innings across eight Tests and is currently in the race to become one of the fastest to 1000 runs as captain.
Who will bat at three?
Thereโs no doubt that Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul will open the batting for India. Devdutt Padikkal was heavily rumoured to be Indiaโs number three, but the team management is set to back Sai Sudharsan for the role, despite him flopping in the England and South Africa series last year. Head coach wants to give the 24-year-old a longer rope to prove his mettle before bringing in Padikkal.
Keeper-batter Rishabh Pant is set to bat at number five and in all likelihood, Washington Sundar could feature at six. With Ravindra Jadeja rested for the series, the young spinner could earn a promotion in the batting and has a perfect opportunity to seal his spot in the playing XI. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has impressed so far in red-ball cricket, is likely to bat at seven.
Notably, the hosts can play two specialised spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Harsh Dubey. Over the past few years, Kuldeep has had very little opportunity to prove himself. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were the go-to options. Now, with them not around, Kuldeep has the perfect chance to lead Indiaโs attack. Harsh, on the other hand, have done a commendable job in domestic cricket and now it needs to be seen if they can transition that to international cricket.ย
Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah are set to play as the two specialised pacers. However, Bumrah didnโt feature in Mumbai Indiansโ final game of the season and it is possible that he could be given a break. In such a scenario, Gurnoor Brar can chip in.ย
Indiaโs likely playing XI for Afghanistan Test: 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
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