Afghanistan Cricket Reveals Squads for India ODI and Test Series

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-05-27

Afghanistan has officially named its squads for a one-off Test and a three-match ODI series against India. Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain both teams in what looks like a massive moment for Afghan cricket. This series kicks off with the solitary Test on June 6 in New Chandigarh, followed by ODIs in Dharamsala on June 13, Lucknow on June 17, and Chennai on June 20. It's a packed schedule that'll test both sides. ### Afghanistan Test Squad: Key Inclusions and Absences The one-off Test marks Afghanistan's first red-ball meeting against India since 2018, when they made their Test debut. That alone makes this contest special, and the squad selection has already sparked plenty of chatter. The most notable absentees from the Test squad are star spinner Rashid Khan and batter Ibrahim Zadran. Both have been included in the ODI squad, though, so they're not completely out of action. The Test squad features maiden call-ups for Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami, and Rahmanullah Zadran, while spinner Qais Ahmad returns to the setup. Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai have also been included, with both having featured in just one Test match so far against Zimbabwe in 2024. Here's the full Test squad: - Hashmatullah Shahidi (c) - Abdul Malik - Sediqullah Atal - Rahmat Shah - Rahmanullah Gurbaz - Rahmanullah Zadran - Afsar Zazai (wk) - Ikram Alikhil (wk) - Azmatullah Omarzai - Sharafudin Ashraf - Nangyal Kharotai - Qais Ahmad - Bilal Sami - Zia Sharifi - Saleem Safi  ### Afghanistan ODI Squad: Rashid and Ibrahim Return While Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran were left out of the Test setup, both have been recalled for the white-ball leg. Their presence strengthens Afghanistan's ODI side considerably. The ODI squad is experienced and well-balanced, with match-winners across all departments. Here's the full ODI squad: - Hashmatullah Shahidi (c) - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) - Ibrahim Zadran - Sediqullah Atal - Darwish Rasooli - Rahmat Shah - Ikram Alikhil (wk) - Mohammad Nabi - Azmatullah Omarzai - Rashid Khan - Nangyal Kharotai - AM Ghazanfar - Zia U Rahman Sharifi - Fareed Malik - Bilal Sami  ### India Squads: Bumrah Rested, Rohit and Hardik Subject to Fitness Jasprit Bumrah was the most notable absentee from India's squads, with the team focusing on his workload management after a busy few months. It's a smart move, given how much cricket he's been playing. KL Rahul has been appointed vice-captain for the one-off Test, while Shreyas Iyer returns to the ODI squad and will serve as Gill's deputy. Senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who recently reiterated their commitment to playing at the Cricket World Cup 2027, have been picked for the ODI series. But Rohit and Hardik Pandya's participation depends on fitness clearance from the BCCI. Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, and Prince Yadav, who have been selected only for the ODIs, have earned their first-ever India call-ups. That's a big deal for those guys. Here's the India Test squad: - Shubman Gill (c) - Yashasvi Jaiswal - KL Rahul (vc) - Sai Sudharsan - Rishabh Pant - Devdutt Padikkal - Dhruv Jurel - Washington Sundar - Mohammed Siraj - Kuldeep Yadav - Nitish Kumar Reddy - Manav Suthar - Prasidh Krishna - Gurnoor Brar - Harsh Dubey And the India ODI squad: - Shubman Gill (c) - Rohit Sharma* - Virat Kohli - Shreyas Iyer - KL Rahul - Arshdeep Singh - Ishan Kishan - Hardik Pandya* - Nitish Kumar Reddy - Washington Sundar - Kuldeep Yadav - Prasidh Krishna - Prince Yadav - Gurnoor Brar - Harsh Dubey *subject to fitness ### Series Context: Post-T20 World Cup and a Historic Test Return This will be India's return to action following their Men's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph at home and after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League. The timing means both sides come into the series with considerable momentum and fresh energy. For Afghanistan, this series is an opportunity to test themselves in red-ball cricket against one of the world's top sides for the first time in eight years. The new faces in their Test squad suggest a degree of rebuilding and long-term planning in the longer format. The ODI series, however, sets up a different challenge. With Rashid and Ibrahim back, Afghanistan's white-ball game looks strong. India, on the other hand, is experimenting with youth while managing senior players' fitness. It's going to be a fascinating clash of styles.