India are set to play their first-ever Test at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh, a venue that had recently hosted IPL 2026 matches and playoff games but is now prepared in Test whites for the one-off red-ball contest against Afghanistan. The match comes at a busy time for India, only six days after the IPL final, creating a rapid transition from white-ball cricket to Test cricket for eight members of the 15-man squad who were involved in the league’s final. Although the match is not part of the World Test Championship cycle, India head coach Gautam Gambhir has stressed that the team will treat it with full seriousness and aim to field a strong side. The game also marks India’s return to Test cricket after their last red-ball appearance in November against South Africa.
For Afghanistan, this is their 13th Test since debuting in the format in 2018, also against India. On that occasion in Bengaluru, they lost inside two days by an innings. This time they will be led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, with Richard Pybus taking charge as their new head coach. Afghanistan will also be without their key legspinner Rashid Khan, but Shahidi believes the team can produce a better showing. The match has historic value for New Chandigarh as well, becoming India’s 31st men’s Test venue, though the build-up has been quiet with low ticket sales despite affordable pricing.
India’s playing XI is expected to feature Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul at the top, followed by B Sai Sudharsan at No. 3, with Shubman Gill captaining the side at No. 4. Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel are options in the middle order, while Washington Sundar is likely to contribute with both bat and ball. Kuldeep Yadav is set to be India’s main spinner in the absence of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. He may be supported by one of the uncapped left-arm spin-bowling allrounders Harsh Dubey or Manav Suthar, both of whom could make their Test debut. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are expected to lead the pace attack. Nitish Kumar Reddy is unlikely to play, given the conditions and the limited need for seam bowling.
Afghanistan may also hand out debuts, with middle-order batter Rahmanullah and left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Nangeyalia Kharote in contention. Their batting will depend heavily on Rahmat Shah and captain Shahidi, both among the most experienced and successful Test batters in their side.
The pitch is expected to be black soil, potentially friendly for batters early on, but the June heat in northern India could make conditions difficult and may bring spinners into the game as the match wears on. Gambhir insists every Test matters equally, while Pybus believes the heat and a new surface will quickly test both teams.
