Preview: Gill's India seek red-ball rhythm vs Afghanistan before crucial WTC stretch

After two months of the Indian Premier League, Shubman Gill and his men will briefly switch to red-ball cricket when they take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test in New Chandigarh, starting on June 6. The Indian team have sweated it out in Mullanpur over the last three days, getting accustomed to the red ball, the conditions and a changing sleep cycle.

The one-off Test will get underway at 9:30 pm IST on Saturday, June 6. Star Sports will broadcast the match. Livestreaming will be available on JioHotstar.

The one-off Test will not be part of the World Test Championship cycle, but it offers India an opportunity to reacquaint themselves with red-ball cricket before entering the crucial second half of their WTC campaign. India are languishing in sixth place in the standings, with only four wins from their first nine matches. Sterner challenges await, with a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in August, followed by a tour of New Zealand in October-November and a five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia at home early next year.

Speaking on the eve of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, head coach Gautam Gambhir said the team remained optimistic about reaching the World Test Championship final. He stressed that India wanted to field a full-strength side against Afghanistan, underlining their respect for the format and their awareness of the challenges that lie ahead.

"We are always optimistic. Till you have the chance to qualify for the final, we are always optimistic. We know the kind of talent we have. I don't think there is any reason not to believe that we can't win the World Test Championship," he said.

Shubman Gill returns to lead the side after a productive IPL 2026 campaign in which he captained Gujarat Titans to the final. Having overcome the neck injury issues that hampered him, particularly during the home season last year, the young captain will be eager to make his mark in New Chandigarh. His deputy will be KL Rahul after the selectors decided to relieve Rishabh Pant of the vice-captaincy responsibilities.

There are a few fresh faces in the Indian squad, with Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja rested and the likes of Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar drafted into the set-up.

India will use the next five days in New Chandigarh to give opportunities to players such as Sai Sudharsan, who is set to retain the No. 3 spot ahead of Devdutt Padikkal, while also identifying an additional spin option who could prove useful on the tour of Sri Lanka later this year.

Can Afghanistan step up?

Meanwhile, Afghanistan, who played their first-ever Test against India eight years ago, have featured in only 12 Tests since, winning four of them. They return to red-ball cricket for the first time since October last year, and the one-off Test presents a fresh beginning for a spirited side.

They also have a new head coach in Richard Pybus, who replaced Jonathan Trott. Trott played a significant role in Afghanistan's white-ball rise, helping transform them into one of the most feared sides in the shorter formats of the game.

However, Afghanistan are yet to make similar progress in red-ball cricket. They will be without Rashid Khan, who has opted out of the format for the foreseeable future because of recurring back issues that have troubled him in recent years.

Head coach Pybus, meanwhile, looked at the bigger picture when he stressed the need for the International Cricket Council to facilitate more Test matches for relatively new Full Members.

"When a country gets granted full membership, it's one thing to get full membership, but then you need to get a full fixture list. And it can't be that the development historically of teams is just based on what exposure they get at World Cups," he said.

Led by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan's batting line-up relies heavily on the gritty composure of Rahmat Shah, who remains their most experienced and accomplished Test batter, with three centuries to his name. Explosive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz adds firepower at the top, while dynamic all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai and leg-spinner Qais Ahmad headline a bowling attack eager to make an impression on the New Chandigarh surface.

INDIA VS AFGHANISTAN: HEAD-TO-HEAD

India and Afghanistan will meet in whites for only the second time in history. Their first meeting lasted just two days, with India securing an innings-and-202-run victory in Bengaluru.

INDIA VS AFGHANISTAN: TEAM NEWS

India's pace attack will be led by Mohammed Siraj, who appears to have recovered well from the shoulder niggle he suffered during the IPL 2026 playoffs. Whether India opt for Prasidh Krishna or hand a debut to local left-arm seamer Gurnoor Brar remains to be seen.

There will also be a straight contest between Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar for the third spinner's place in the XI.

The batting line-up looks settled, with India set to back Sai Sudharsan in the No. 3 role, something coach Gambhir all but confirmed on Friday. India are also likely to back Dhruv Jurel as a specialist batter, given his recent exploits.

Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted that India are planning to play both Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy, which could leave room for only one specialist fast bowler.

INDIA XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harsh Dubey, Mohammed Siraj.

On the other hand, Afghanistan have plenty of options to choose from. All eyes will be on left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Nangeyalia Kharote, who could make his debut in New Chandigarh, joining Qais Ahmad and Sharafuddin Ashraf in the spin department. The return of Azmatullah Omarzai is also a major boost for the visitors.

AFGHANISTAN XI: Abdul Malik, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Sediqullah Atal, Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Qais Ahmad, Zia Sharifi, Nangeyalia Kharote.

PLAYERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Sai Sudharsan: Having received the backing of the head coach for the No. 3 role, Sudharsan will be keen to carry his IPL form into red-ball cricket. He has played six Tests and scored 302 runs at an average of under 30. The Tamil Nadu batter will hope the one-off Test marks the beginning of a sustained run in the side, with Devdutt Padikkal waiting in the wings.

Kuldeep Yadav: In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep has a big opportunity to cement his place ahead of the Sri Lanka tour. With Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey also in contention, Kuldeep will have to shoulder the responsibility of leading the spin attack.

Azmatullah Omarzai: Returning to Test cricket for the first time since 2024, the pace-bowling all-rounder will be eager to make an impact. Having improved considerably as a white-ball cricketer over the last three years, he will be itching to leave his mark in the red-ball format as well.

NEW CHANDIGARH PITCH AND CONDITIONS

There was a tinge of green on the pitch on the eve of the Test match, but that was largely to ensure the surface did not become bone dry in the sweltering heat. With this being the first Test match in New Chandigarh, there remains an element of the unknown.

However, expect the pitch to remain good for batting over the first two days before gradually breaking up and bringing the spinners into the contest. The seamers are unlikely to receive a great deal of assistance.

The weather in New Chandigarh has been unforgiving and is expected to remain hot throughout the weekend.