Watch: Team India arrives in New Chandigarh ahead of their one-off Test against Afghanistan

Team India arrives at New Chandigarh (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: The Indian Test team reached New Chandigarh on Tuesday ahead of their one-off Test against Afghanistan starting on June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. The match marks India’s return to red-ball cricket after the end of IPL 2026 and will be captained by Shubman Gill. Players including vice-captain KL Rahul, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy were seen arriving with the team as preparations began.Although the Afghanistan Test is not part of the current Test World Cup cycle, it is a crucial opportunity for India to regain confidence in the longest format. The team has not played a Test since last year’s 2-0 home series defeat to South Africa. With tough tours to Sri Lanka and New Zealand scheduled for later in 2026, India will use this facility to sharpen their game and build momentum.Watch the video of Team India arriving in New ChandigarhThe squad features a mix of established stars and up-and-coming talent, and training is expected to begin once the team finalizes its plans for the match.For Afghanistan, the one-off Test offers another chance to gauge their progress against one of the strongest teams in world cricket. The visitors have gradually gained experience with the format and will look to mount a strong challenge.The two teams have met only once in Test cricket so far. Their first meeting came in Bengaluru in 2018 when Afghanistan played their debut Test match. India dominated the contest, winning by an innings and 262 runs over two days.This upcoming encounter will be the first red ball clash between India and Afghanistan since that historic encounter eight years ago.