Afghanistan Announces Squad for Historic Tour of India

Afghanistan has unveiled its squad for the upcoming tour of India, which includes a Test match and three ODIs. Led by Hasmatullah Shahidi, the team will see the absence of star spinner Rashid Khan in the Test, who is being rested. This tour marks a historic moment as it will be the first bilateral ODI series between the two nations. Rahmanullah Zadran is set to make his debut, while India has also announced its squad with several uncapped players. The matches are scheduled to take place in June across various venues in India.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 26, 2026, 20:17 IST

Afghanistan's Upcoming Tour of India

Afghanistan has officially revealed its squad for the highly anticipated tour of India, commencing on June 6. This tour includes a one-off Test match followed by three One Day Internationals (ODIs). Hasmatullah Shahidi will captain the team in both formats, but notable is the absence of Rashid Khan in the Test match. The star spinner is expected to return for the ODI series. Although the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has not confirmed it, sources suggest that Rashid is being rested. Recently, he has opted out of several Test matches to manage his playing load. In April, Rashid hinted at stepping back from Test cricket due to medical advice. He stated, 'Red-ball cricket is a bit challenging, as my doctor advised me to avoid it. I played a match against Zimbabwe after surgery and bowled 67 overs, which was excessive. The doctor warned me that continuing with red-ball cricket could jeopardize my career.'

In the Test squad, Rahmanullah Zadran has been included and may make his international debut, as he has yet to play in any format. Interestingly, Mujeeb Ur Rehman has been omitted from both squads. Last week, India announced its squad, resting Jasprit Bumrah from both formats and including four uncapped players in the Test team, with three debutants also part of the ODI lineup.

Historic India-Afghanistan Series

The Test match is scheduled for June 6 at New Chandigarh, while the ODIs will be held on June 13, 17, and 20 in Dharamshala, Lucknow, and Chennai, respectively. This series marks a significant milestone, as it will be the first bilateral ODI series between the two nations. Additionally, this will be only the second Test match they have played against each other, the first being in 2018.

Afghanistan Squad For Tour Of India

Afghanistan Test Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi, Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmanullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafudin Ashraf, Nangyal Kharotai, Qais Ahmad, Bilal Sami, Zia Sharifi, Saleem Safi
Reserves: Bashir Ahmad, Bahir Shah, Ismat Alam
Afghanistan ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, M. Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharotai, AM Ghazanfar, Zia U Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Malik, Bilal Sami
Reserves: Qais Ahmad, Saleem Safi, Bashir Ahmad