India vs Afghanistan Only Test Preview Squads & Key Players

India and Afghanistan are set to meet in a one-off Test match at New Chandigarh starting June 6, 2026. This is only the second ever Test meeting between these two sides. The last time they met in Test cricket was back in June 2018 when India won by an innings and 262 runs. Afghanistan have come a long way since that encounter and will arrive at this fixture with a much more experienced and competitive Test squad. India, even without several senior stars, remain overwhelming favorites on home soil. This India vs Afghanistan Only Test preview covers everything you need to know before the first ball is delivered.

India vs Afghanistan Head to Head Record in Tests

India and Afghanistan have met only once in Test cricket before this fixture. That solitary encounter tells a very one-sided story.

Date	Result	Winner
14-Jun-2018	India won by an innings and 262 runs	India

Players to Watch in India vs Afghanistan Only Test

Several key players from both sides could shape the outcome of this historic Only Test at New Chandigarh. The gulf in Test experience between these two sides is significant, but Afghanistan have genuine match-winners who can cause problems on any given day.

India Players to Watch

Shubman Gill captains India for this Test and is their most prolific batter in recent cricket. He has scored 983 runs in 9 recent Test matches at an outstanding average of 70.21. Leading the side adds extra responsibility to his role but Gill has the temperament and the form to deliver a captain's performance in New Chandigarh. A big innings from him would set the tone for the entire match.

KL Rahul serves as vice-captain and provides India with experience and solidity in the batting lineup. He has scored 813 runs in 10 recent Test matches at an average of 45.17. Rahul's ability to occupy the crease and build long partnerships makes him a crucial figure in India's plans. His wicketkeeping also adds tactical flexibility to the side.

Rishabh Pant brings explosive batting ability and exceptional wicketkeeping skills to this India lineup. His ability to accelerate at any stage of an innings and score at a rapid pace can put a Test match completely beyond the opposition. Afghanistan's bowlers will be desperate to dismiss him early if he comes in with India in a strong position.

Mohammed Siraj is India's most dangerous bowler in recent Test cricket by a considerable margin. He has taken 43 wickets in 10 recent Test matches at an economy of 3.76 and a strike rate of 43.46. Those are exceptional numbers that place him among the elite Test bowlers in the world right now. Siraj's ability to generate reverse swing and maintain relentless pace and accuracy will be a major problem for Afghanistan's batting lineup throughout this match.

Kuldeep Yadav is India's most potent spin weapon for this fixture. He has taken 20 wickets in just 4 recent Test matches at an economy of 3.47 and a strike rate of 40.00. On a New Chandigarh pitch that is likely to assist spin as the match develops, Kuldeep could be absolutely devastating against an Afghanistan batting lineup that has limited experience of high-quality wrist spin at Test level.

Washington Sundar and Harsh Dubey provide India with additional spin depth and useful contributions down the batting order. Both players add balance to this India lineup and give Shubman Gill multiple bowling options as conditions develop across five days.

Afghanistan Players to Watch

Rahmat Shah is Afghanistan's most experienced and accomplished Test batter. He has scored 778 runs in 9 recent Test matches at an average of 45.76 and a strike rate of 53.17. Rahmat brings genuine class and composure to Afghanistan's batting lineup. He is the player most capable of building the kind of long, patient innings Afghanistan will need to stay competitive in this Test against India's high-quality bowling attack.

Hashmatullah Shahidi captains Afghanistan and is their second most important batter in current Test form. He has scored 659 runs in 9 recent Test matches at an average of 47.07. His experience and leadership at the crease will be vital for Afghanistan. Shahidi knows how to occupy the crease and grind out difficult situations, which is exactly what Afghanistan need in both their innings against India.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is Afghanistan's most dynamic batting option and their first choice wicketkeeper. His aggressive approach at the top of the order can put pressure back on the opposition and change the momentum of a Test very quickly. If Gurbaz gets going against India's bowling attack, he has the ability to score at a pace that disrupts India's plans completely.

Azmatullah Omarzai is Afghanistan's most important all-round option in this Test. He can contribute valuable runs in the lower middle order and take crucial wickets with his pace bowling. His ability to impact the match in multiple departments makes him one of Afghanistan's most dangerous players.

Ziaur Rahman is Afghanistan's most impressive recent bowling performer. He took 7 wickets in his last Test appearance at an economy of just 3.03 and a strike rate of 27.42. Those numbers are remarkable and show a bowler capable of troubling any batting lineup on a pitch with some assistance. If Ziaur Rahman is given conditions that suit his style, he could surprise India's batters in New Chandigarh.

Qais Ahmad provides Afghanistan with leg spin variety. He has taken 3 wickets in 2 recent Test appearances and brings a different challenge to batters compared to the pace options in Afghanistan's attack. On a turning pitch, his leg spin could create real problems for India's lower middle order.

Batting Stats

Player	Team	Matches	Runs	Average	Strike Rate
Shubman Gill	IND	9	983	70.21	63.70
KL Rahul	IND	10	813	45.17	48.50
Rahmat Shah	AFG	9	778	45.76	53.17
Hashmatullah Shahidi	AFG	9	659	47.07	48.38

Bowling Stats

Player	Team	Matches	Wickets	Economy
Mohammed Siraj	IND	10	43	3.76
Kuldeep Yadav	IND	4	20	3.47
Ziaur Rahman	AFG	1	7	3.03
Qais Ahmad	AFG	2	3	4.28

India vs Afghanistan Only Test Squads

Both teams have named their squads for the India vs Afghanistan Only Test at New Chandigarh. India have named a strong but slightly rotated squad, while Afghanistan have selected their best available Test players for this historic fixture.

India Squad

Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul (vc), Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Manav Suthar, Washington Sundar.

Afghanistan Squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Abdul Malik, Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Bilal Sami, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Saleem, Nangeyalia Kharote, Qais Ahmad, Rahmanullah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Sediqullah Atal, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Ziaur Rahman.

India vs Afghanistan Only Test Venue

The India vs Afghanistan Only Test is being played at the New Chandigarh Cricket Stadium. This is a relatively new international venue, and hosting a Test match here adds special significance to this fixture. The pitch at New Chandigarh is expected to offer good carry early on, which will suit India's pace bowlers. As the match develops across five days, the surface is likely to offer increasing assistance to spin bowlers, which plays directly into the hands of Kuldeep Yadav and the rest of India's spin options.

Conclusion

This India vs Afghanistan Only Test preview points to a contest where India are strong favorites but Afghanistan have enough quality to make this a competitive and meaningful Test match. India carry the weight of expectation at home after their South Africa series defeats and will want a commanding performance to reset their Test form.

Key players like Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Rahmat Shah, and Ziaur Rahman will be central to how this historic Only Test unfolds across five days in New Chandigarh. Afghanistan will fight with everything they have, but India's depth and home advantage make them clear favorites to win this fixture convincingly.