As Team India transitions from the fast-paced IPL 2026 season to red-ball cricket, the newly announced squad for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan features a fascinating mix of tactical experimentalism and core stability.
Scheduled to begin on June 6, 2026, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill are facing critical selection dilemmas.
India’s Predicted Playing XI vs Afghanistan
Openers
Shubman Gill (C): Leading the transition era across formats, the captain looks to establish total dominance at the top.
Yashasvi Jaiswal: The attacking left-hander provides the perfect aggressive foil to Gill’s anchor style.
Middle Order
Devdutt Padikkal: Set to edge out Sai Sudharsan for the crucial No. 3 spot following a highly productive domestic red-ball calendar.
KL Rahul (VC): Operating as the vice-captain, Rahul brings veteran stability and anchor insurance to the No. 4 position.
Rishabh Pant (WK): Despite a sub-par IPL season, Pant remains India’s primary red-ball game-changer and is expected to don the gloves ahead of Dhruv Jurel.
Nitish Kumar Reddy: The rising pace-bowling all-rounder adds excellent depth, balancing out the lower-middle order.
Spin Battery
Washington Sundar: An excellent off-spinning option who extends India’s batting depth considerably down to number eight.
Kuldeep Yadav: The primary wrist-spinner will be the key tactical weapon to counter Afghanistan’s aggressive middle order.
Pace Unit
Mohammed Siraj: Taking over the mantle of the attack leader in Bumrah’s absence.
Prasidh Krishna: Bringing raw pace and relentless hit-the-deck lengths to exploit the early morning Mullanpur moisture.
Gurnoor Brar: The local Punjab pacer is poised for a dream debut, using his towering height to dismantle the top order.
Main Talking Points
No. 3 Battle: With captain Shubman Gill locking up his opening slot alongside the explosive Yashasvi Jaiswal, the number three position is a straight shoot-out. While dynamic Tamil Nadu batter Sai Sudharsan is a favourite of Gill’s, he is expected to miss out on the final XI. Head coach Gautam Gambhir is heavily backing Karnataka’s in-form Devdutt Padikkal, who amassed 543 runs in the Ranji Trophy.
Pace Debut: With absolute ace Jasprit Bumrah rested for workload management, Mohammed Siraj will lead the bowling attack. The second seamer slot is highly likely to see a debut for Punjab’s 6’5″ towering speedster Gurnoor Brar, whose capability to extract heavy bounce north of 145 kph makes him a lethal tactical weapon on the Mullanpur deck.
Gloves Dilemma: Vice-captain KL Rahul returns to the top order to inject experience, meaning the wicketkeeping responsibilities will rest between a returning Rishabh Pant and young Dhruv Jurel.
