India make red-ball switch for Afghanistan challenge in New Chandigarh’s maiden Test Match

The transition from the high-octane, neon-lit spectacle of franchise T20 cricket to the serene, classic environment of the five-day game is never straightforward. This transition becomes particularly stark as India make red-ball switch for Afghanistan challenge in New Chandigarh’s maiden Test match. Until just last week, the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur was bathed in the vibrant red and gold of the Punjab Kings, serving as a primary host venue for IPL playoffs, including the high-stakes Eliminator and Qualifier 2. Today, however, the stadium has shed those flashy franchise colors, donning clean, immaculate Test whites to welcome the longest format of the game for the very first time in its history.

For India, this fixture represents their first red-ball outing since November when they toured South Africa. The scheduling presents an intense logistical and physical hurdle: this match begins a mere six days after the conclusion of the IPL final. Historically, such a rapid turnaround is incredibly rare. The only parallel occurred back in 2010 when the Indian squad flew directly to the Caribbean for the T20 World Cup, opening their campaign against none other than Afghanistan. This time, the challenge is inverted as players shift from twenty-over cricket to the grueling technical demands of a five-day red-ball match. With eight of the fifteen squad members having featured in the IPL final, adjusting body clocks, mental focus, and technical setups will be of paramount importance.

Gambhir’s Vision and Afghanistan’s Resilient Outlook

Although this one-off Test does not carry points for the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has made it clear that there will be absolutely no room for complacency. Gambhir emphasized the weight of wearing the national cap, stating that a Test match is a Test match regardless of external context. He noted that the coaching staff intends to field their strongest possible XI because representing the country demands maximum effort, and they do not differentiate between games based on whether they fall within the WTC framework.

For Afghanistan, this match marks their 13th Test match overall since obtaining Test status. Their journey in the format began back in 2018, also in a historic clash against India in Bengaluru, which they lost within two days by an innings. While they face this challenge without their iconic legspinner Rashid Khan, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi remains highly optimistic about putting up a far superior, competitive performance. Adding to the intrigue, this match will serve as the maiden assignment for Afghanistan’s newly appointed head coach, Richard Pybus.

Despite New Chandigarh becoming India’s 31st men’s Test venue, the initial buzz around the city has been somewhat subdued. Ticket prices were set highly affordably, starting at just Rs. 250 for a five-day pass, yet only about 1,700 tickets had been sold by Wednesday evening, hinting at a quiet atmosphere at the start of the match.

Form Guide

India: LLWWW (last five Tests, most recent first)
Afghanistan: LWDLL

In the Spotlight: Kuldeep Yadav and Rahmat Shah

In a rare home Test setup, India will navigate without their legendary spin twins. With Ravichandran Ashwin retired, Ravindra Jadeja rested, and Axar Patel dropped, the onus falls squarely on Kuldeep Yadav to spearhead the spin attack. He will likely be supported by Washington Sundar and one of the uncapped left-arm spinners, Harsh Dubey or Manav Suthar. Kuldeep’s recent IPL campaign was difficult, yielding just 10 wickets in 12 games at an expensive economy rate of 10.29. However, Delhi Capitals’ early exit granted him invaluable extra days to train and regain his rhythm with the red ball.

On the Afghan side, Rahmat Shah remains the vital anchor of their batting lineup. Recognized as Afghanistan’s most technically accomplished batter, Rahmat holds the national records for the most runs, most centuries, and most fifty-plus scores in Test cricket. Along with skipper Shahidi, he is one of only two double-centurions for his country. In the absence of the explosive opener Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat’s ability to steady the innings will be crucial to Afghanistan’s hopes of frustrating the Indian bowling attack.

Team News and Predicted Lineups

Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that the young sensation B Sai Sudharsan will continue to bat at the crucial No. 3 spot, meaning Devdutt Padikkal will have to wait for his opportunity. India will also hand a debut to one of their left-arm spin-bowling allrounders, either Harsh Dubey or Manav Suthar, while seam-bowling allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is expected to miss out as the pitch conditions may not favor his style of bowling.

India Predicted XI: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Harsh Dubey/Manav Suthar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna.

Afghanistan are also poised to introduce fresh talent, with middle-order batter Rahmanullah and left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Nangeyalia Kharote both in contention to make their Test debuts.

Afghanistan Predicted XI: 1 Sediqullah Atal, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Rahmanullah, 7 Afsar Zazai (wk), 8 Sharafuddin Ashraf, 9 Nangeyalia Kharote, 10 Qais Ahmad, 11 Ziaur Rahman.

Pitch and Extreme Conditions

The battle in New Chandigarh will be contested on a black-soil pitch, which ground staff expect to be highly batter-friendly initially. However, playing in northern India during June brings extreme meteorological challenges. With afternoon temperatures projected to hit 40°C, the players’ physical endurance will be thoroughly tested.

Afghanistan’s head coach Richard Pybus shared his analytical assessment of the surface, noting that while the pitch currently features a good covering of grass, the extreme heat will likely extract moisture very rapidly. Pybus expects spinners to play a major part in the game once the surface begins to dry out, making the battle of wits between the spin departments the defining factor of the match.

Key Stats and Milestone Watch

• The last time India hosted a home Test match without both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the squad was in November 2010 against New Zealand in Nagpur—prior to either spinner making their Test debut.
• This match marks a significant career milestone for Rishabh Pant, who will be playing his 50th Test. Only MS Dhoni (90) and Syed Kirmani (88) have represented India in more matches as a designated wicketkeeper.
• Indian captain Shubman Gill is just 157 runs away from reaching the landmark of 3,000 runs in Test cricket.
• Rahmat Shah requires just 30 runs to cement his legacy as the very first batsman from Afghanistan to reach 1,000 career runs in Test matches.
• Left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf arrives in excellent red-ball form, having finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2025 Ahmad Shah Abdali Trophy with 36 wickets in six matches at a stunning average of 17.11.