Shubman Gill Leads India in One-off Test Against Afghanistan

Match Overview

On Saturday, Indian captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bat first against Afghanistan in a One-off Test match held at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

This match follows closely on the heels of the IPL 2026 final, which took place less than a week ago.

The two teams previously faced each other in a Test match back in 2018, where India emerged victorious by an innings and 262 runs in just two days.

Captains' Remarks

"We are going to bat first. The weather is quite hot and humid, and the pitch is expected to slow down as the game progresses. It’s a special moment for me as I grew up playing here, and it’s an honor to captain in this venue. Our preparations have been solid, and I’ve managed to get some good rest. We have nine Test matches lined up after this, so it’s crucial to find the right combination. Manav Suthar is making his debut today," Gill stated during the toss.

"We also wanted to bat first since the wicket appears favorable. We are prepared for the challenge ahead and had a productive training camp in Kabul. Our lineup includes three seamers and two spinners, along with one debutant, Nangeyalia Kharote," remarked Afghanistan's captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.

Playing XI

India's Playing XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Afghanistan's Playing XI: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Afsar Zazai(w), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi.