Afghanistan faces tough Test as heat and an India with much to prove lie in wait in Chandigarh
India head into the one-off Test against Afghanistan as the third ranked Test side in the world. Afghanistan meanwhile do not currently have a rating due to not having played the required amount of Tests (eight) within the three-year cycle.
India currently boasts two batters in the ICC’s top ten rankings with Yashasvi Jaiswal at eight and skipper Shubman Gill at ten. Afghanistan’s highest ranked batsman is Ibrahim Zadran at 56. Zadran however will not feature in the Test as he recovers from a leg injury.
Also missing for Afghanistan will be their superstar white ball performer Rashid Khan who is rested. Khan is looking to cut back on Test cricket to concentrate on white ball fare – he will be back for the ODI series against India.
The world’s top ranked Test bowler Jasprit Bumrah, along with veteran allrounder Ravi Jadeja, have both been rested for this once off Test.
Afghanistan have named three uncapped players in their squad in the form of Nangyal Kharotai, Bilal Sami and Rahmanullah Zadran. Meanwhile India looks set to hand a Test debut to Harsh Dube.
Rishabh Pant has been named in the India squad for the game, but his role as vice-captain has been taken away and handed to KL Rahul.
The only previous time these two sides met in a Test was in 2018 when India won by an innings and 262 runs. Only one of India’s squad, KL Rahul, featured in that game.
India’s last Test series was the famous 2-0 home series defeat at the hands of South Africa in November 2025. That means this is their first Test in almost seven months. Afghanistan have gone even longer without a Test – the last time they played red ball cricket was against Zimbabwe in October 2025.
Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
This relatively new ground has never been used as a Test venue.
The only previous international game to be hosted at the venue was a T20I between India and South Africa which was won by the Proteas. As such India have never won a game at the ground.
In hosting the game against Afghanistan, the venue officially becomes India’s 31st designated Test venue.
Domestic First-Class data suggests that the pitch offers fresh carry for fast bowlers early on but heavily bakes under the summer sun to favour spinners as the game progresses; teams winning the toss are highly tipped to bat first to avoid wearing fourth-innings tracks.
Weather:
The conditions in New Chandigarh look set to be punishing with scorching summer weather across all five days of the Test. Brilliant, unbroken sunshine will dominate from morning to evening, pushing daily maximum temperatures to a blistering peak of 41 degrees. Humidity will hover dryly around 25 percent, ensuring intensely draining conditions for the players on the field. Rain will not be a factor, with a definitive zero percent chance of precipitation throughout the match, guaranteeing uninterrupted play.
Form (most recent game first):
India: L, L, W, W, W.
Afghanistan: L, W, D, A, L.
Last five games Head-to-head: Ind (these sides have only played each other once in a Test)
Key player:
India, Shubman Gill: Gill is a player who thrives with the responsibility of captaincy. His average when not leading the team is 35.05, but in the eight games he has played as skipper he has averaged a massive 79.16. He was in excellent form in the IPL, and he is playing on his familiar home turf in Punjab. His ability to anchor the innings and counter Afghanistan’s spin threat will set the tone for the host nation’s success.
Afghanistan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz: Most of Afghanistan’s players are better known for their white ball accomplishments than for their roles in Test cricket, but if Gurbaz gets a chance to add to his previous two caps, expect him to give it everything he has. The powerful wicketkeeper batter is a whole-hearted player with plenty of big match experience, even if his exposure to Test cricket is limited. Gurbaz offers intent and counter-attacking momentum to the top order, which could be key to upsetting India’s disciplined bowling attack. Fresh from high-pressure white-ball exposures globally, Gurbaz’s ability to tackle both high-pace deliveries and sharp spin early on will be vital to giving the underdogs a fighting chance on a challenging, dry surface.
Verdict: India
Expect Afghanistan to try hard and to show plenty of fight, but also, expect them to be completely outgunned. India at home is a fearsome prospect, and even though they are not nearly as imposing at Test level as they are with the white ball, they should still see off their Asian neighbours comfortably.
