India make red-ball switch for Afghanistan challenge in New Chandigarh’s maiden Test Preview
A Historic Test Debut for New Chandigarh
Until last week, the New PCA Stadium was bathed in red, serving as one of Punjab Kings’ two home grounds for IPL 2026 and also hosting the high-pressure Eliminator and Qualifier 2. But ahead of India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan—the venue’s first-ever—it has shed all its franchise colours. As if conforming to the purest traditions of the sport, the stadium has donned its Test whites. This match marks New Chandigarh’s debut as India’s 31st men’s Test venue. It is a historic occasion, yet the local atmosphere feels strangely muted. Despite five-day season tickets starting at an incredibly low Rs. 250, only about 1,700 tickets had been sold by Wednesday evening.
For India, the return to red-ball cricket comes after a substantial hiatus, having last played a Test match in November against South Africa. The timing presents a unique set of logistical and physical challenges. This historic Test begins just six days after the IPL final, leaving players with almost no time to adjust. The only previous instance of such a short turnaround between formats occurred back in 2010, when the Indian team travelled to the West Indies for the T20 World Cup and opened their campaign, coincidentally, against Afghanistan.
The Mindset and the Challenge of the Quick Switch
The shift from the white ball to the red ball is a profound test of adaptability. Eight of the 15 squad members selected for this match were actively involved in the IPL final. These players must rapidly reset their body clocks, recalibrate their muscle memory, and adjust their techniques to the distinct movement of the red cherry. Even though this fixture does not carry World Test Championship (WTC) points, the Indian camp is refusing to treat it as an exhibition match.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, are preparing for their 13th Test match since obtaining Test status. Their journey began in 2018 in Bengaluru, where they suffered a heavy defeat against India inside two days by an innings. Six years later, they return to face India without their talismanic legspinner, Rashid Khan. Despite this major setback, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi remains confident that his side is ready to mount a much stronger challenge. This match also marks the first official assignment for Afghanistan’s newly appointed head coach, Richard Pybus.
Form Guide
India: LLWWW (last five Tests, most recent first)
Afghanistan: LWDLL
In the Spotlight: Kuldeep Yadav and Rahmat Shah
With the legendary Ravichandran Ashwin retired, Ravindra Jadeja rested, and Axar Patel dropped, the onus of leading the spin department falls squarely on Kuldeep Yadav. Supported likely by Washington Sundar and either Harsh Dubey or Manav Suthar, Kuldeep will have to carry the bulk of the bowling workload. The left-arm wristspinner endured a difficult IPL campaign, claiming just 10 wickets in 12 games at an expensive economy rate of 10.29. However, Delhi Capitals’ early exit from the tournament provided him with a crucial head start, allowing him several extra days to find his rhythm and get a proper feel of the red ball.
For Afghanistan, Rahmat Shah stands as their batting anchor. He remains the team’s most technically sound batter, holding the national records for the most runs, most centuries, and most fifty-plus scores in Test cricket. Alongside skipper Shahidi, Rahmat is one of only two double-centurions for Afghanistan in this format. In the absence of their regular opener Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat’s ability to anchor the innings and face the new ball will be critical to Afghanistan’s hopes of posting a competitive total.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that young sensation B Sai Sudharsan will continue to bat at the pivotal No. 3 position, meaning Devdutt Padikkal will have to wait for his opportunity. The team is also set to hand a Test debut to one of their two promising left-arm spin-bowling allrounders, Harsh Dubey or Manav Suthar. Fast-bowling allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is unlikely to feature, as the pitch conditions may not offer much assistance to his style of medium-pace 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 expected to blood new talent, with potential Test debuts on the horizon for middle-order batter Rahmanullah and talented left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Nangeyalia Kharote.
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
Stats and Milestones to Watch
- This match marks the first time since 2010 (against New Zealand in Nagpur) that India will play a home Test without both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the squad. Notably, that match took place before either player had made their Test debut.
- Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will play his 50th Test match. Only MS Dhoni (90) and Syed Kirmani (88) have represented India in more Tests as designated wicketkeepers.
- India’s captain Shubman Gill is just 157 runs away from reaching the milestone of 3,000 runs in Test match cricket.
- Rahmat Shah requires just 30 runs to become the first-ever batsman from Afghanistan to cross the 1,000-run mark in Test matches.
- Left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf enters this match in stellar form, having finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2025 Ahmad Shah Abdali Trophy with 36 wickets in six matches at an outstanding average of 17.11.
Pitch and Gruelling Weather Conditions
The pitch at New Chandigarh is prepared from black soil, which traditionally offers a true bounce and favors batters early on. However, June represents the peak of the Indian summer, and the playing conditions will be incredibly taxing. Temperatures are forecasted to hover around the 40°C mark during the afternoons, which will test the physical endurance of both teams. The extreme heat is expected to rapidly draw moisture out of the surface, likely bringing the spinners into play much earlier than the green grass cover might initially suggest.
Coaches’ Perspectives
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir made his intentions clear regarding the importance of this fixture: “A Test match is a Test match. I know people talk about this not being part of the World Test Championship cycle but for me, it is a Test match and we need to go out there and win for the country because you don’t differentiate between Test matches… That is one of the reasons why we are going to try to play our full-strength side even in this Test.”
Afghanistan’s head coach Richard Pybus shared his tactical assessment of the new venue: “This is a new stadium, it is a new wicket. I think the Indian coaching staff and leadership will be as interested to see how the wicket plays as we are. It looks like a good cricket wicket but I have no doubt the heat is going to pull moisture out very quickly. It has got a good covering of grass but will it continue to hold it together? So spinners will play a major part in the game even though it looks pretty green at the moment.”
