Preview: Gill’s India look for red-ball rhythm vs Afghanistan ahead of crucial WTC stretch

After two months in the Indian Premier League, Shubman Gill and his men will make a brief switch to red-ball cricket when they take on Afghanistan in the one-off Test at New Chandigarh starting on June 6. The Indian team has been sweating it out in Mullanpur for the last three days, getting used to the red ball, the conditions and the changing sleep cycle.

The one-off Test will begin on Saturday, June 6 at 9:30 PM IST. The match will be telecast by Star Sports. Live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.

The one-off Test will not be part of the World Test Championship cycle, but offers India an opportunity to reacquaint themselves with red-ball cricket ahead of the crucial second half of their WTC campaign. India are languishing in sixth place in the table with just four wins from their first nine matches. They face Sterner’s challenges, a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in August, followed by a tour of New Zealand in October-November and a five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia at home early next year.

Speaking on the eve of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, said head coach Gautam Gambhir the team remained optimistic about reaching the World Test Championship final. He stressed that India wanted to field a full force against Afghanistan, stressing that they respect the format and are aware of the challenges ahead.

“We are always optimistic. As long as you don’t have a chance to qualify for the final, we are always optimistic. We know the kind of talent we have. I don’t think there is any reason not to believe we can’t win the Test World Cup,” he said.

Shubman Gill returns to management after a productive IPL 2026 campaign in which he led Gujarat Titans to the final. After overcoming the neck injury issues that hampered him especially during the domestic season last year, the young skipper will be eager to make his mark in New Chandigarh. He will be deputized by KL Rahul after the selectors decided to relieve Rishabh Pant of the responsibility of vice-captain.

There are some fresh faces in the Indian squad, with Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja rested and the likes of Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar drafted into the squad.

India will use the next five days in New Chandigarh to give an opportunity to players like Sai Sudharsan, who should retain third place ahead of Devdutt Padikkal while also identifying another spin option that could prove useful in the tour of Sri Lanka later this year.

Can Afghanistan step up?

Meanwhile, Afghanistan, who played their first ever Test against India eight years ago, have appeared in only 12 Tests since then, winning four of them. They are returning to red-ball cricket for the first time since October last year and the one-off Test represents a fresh start for the spirited side.

They also have a new head coach in Richard Pybus, who replaced Jonathan Trott. Trott played a significant role in Afghanistan’s rise in the white ball, helping to transform them into one of the most feared sides in the shorter formats of the game.

However, Afghanistan have yet to make similar progress in red-ball cricket. They will be without Rashid Khan, who has opted out of the format for the foreseeable future due to recurring issues that have plagued him in recent years.

Meanwhile, Head Coach Pybus looked at the bigger picture when he stressed the need for the International Cricket Council to facilitate more Test matches for the relatively new full members.

“When a country gets full membership, it’s one thing to get full membership, but then you have to get a full fixture list. And it can’t be that the historical development of teams is only based on how much exposure they get at World Cups,” he said.

Afghanistan’s batting line-up, led by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, relies heavily on the bold composure of Rahmat Shah, who remains their most experienced and accomplished batsman with three centuries to his credit. Explosive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz adds firepower at the top, while dynamic all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai and leg-spinner Qais Ahmad headline a bowling attack eager to impress on the New Chandigarh surface.

INDIA VS AFGHANISTAN: HEADLINES

India and Afghanistan will meet in white for only the second time in history. Their first meeting lasted just two days and India secured an innings and 202-run victory in Bengaluru.

INDIA VS AFGHANISTAN: TEAM NEWS

Dhruv Jurel likely to play as special batsman in XI (PTI Photo)

India’s pace attack will be led by Mohammed Siraj, who appears to have recovered well from the shoulder wart he sustained during the playoffs of IPL 2026. Whether India opts for Prasidh Krishna or hands the debut to local left-arm seamer Gurnoor Brar remains to be seen.

There will also be a head-to-head battle between Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar for the third spot in the XI.

The batting line-up looks settled, with India set to back Sai Sudharsan in the No.3 role, something coach Gambhir all but confirmed on Friday. India are also likely to back Dhruv Jurel as a specialist batsman, given his recent exploits.

Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted that India plan to play both Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy, which could leave room for only one fast bowler.

INDIA XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harsh Dubey, Mohammed Siraj.

Afghanistan, on the other hand, has plenty of options to choose from. All eyes will be on spin-bowling all-rounder Nangeyal Kharote, who could make his debut for New Chandigarh, joining Qais Ahmad and Sharafuddin Ashraf in the spin department. The return of Azmatullah Omarzai is also a big boost for the visitors.

AFGHANISTAN XI: Abdul Malik, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Sediqullah Atal, Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Qais Ahmad, Zia Sharifi, Nangeyalia Kharote.

PLAYERS IN SELECTION

Sai Sudharsan: Having received the head coach’s backing for the No.3 role, Sudharsan will be keen to translate his IPL form into red-ball cricket. He played six Tests and scored 302 runs at an average of under 30. The Tamil Nadu batsman will be hoping that the one-off Test marks the start of a sustained run in the side, with Devdutt Padikkal waiting in the wings.

Kuldeep Yadav: In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep has a big opportunity to cement his place ahead of the Sri Lanka tour. With Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey also in contention, Kuldeep will have to shoulder the responsibility of leading the spin attack.

Azmatullah Omarzai: Returning to Test cricket for the first time since 2024, the pace bowling all-rounder will be eager to impress. As a white-ball cricketer, he has improved considerably over the past three years and will be keen to leave his mark in the red-ball format as well.

CHANDIGARH’S NEW PITCH AND TERMS

There was a hint of green on the pitch on the eve of the Test match, but that was mainly to keep the surface from drying out to the bone in the sweltering heat. As this is the first Test match in New Chandigarh, the element of the unknown remains.

However, expect the pitch to remain good for batting for the first two days before gradually breaking in and bringing the spinners into the contest. The sailors are unlikely to get much help.

The weather in New Chandigarh has been unforgiving and is expected to remain hot throughout the weekend.

– The end

Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

05 Jun 2026 19:28 IST