India has unveiled their squads for the upcoming home Test and ODI series against Afghanistan, with several fresh faces earning opportunities across both formats. The announcement marks India’s return to Test cricket for the first time since their 2-0 home defeat against South Africa in November 2025.

Shubman Gill will lead India in both formats, while KL Rahul has replaced Rishabh Pant as the vice-captain of the Test side. The selectors have rewarded domestic performers and emerging talents, handing maiden Test call-ups to left-arm spin all-rounder Manav Suthar and fast bowler Gurnoor Brar. Another left-arm spinner, Harsh Dubey, has also been included in the red-ball squad after impressive performances in domestic cricket.

Fresh faces headline India’s squad overhaul

India’s squads reflect a noticeable transition phase, particularly in the bowling department. While several senior names are unavailable due to workload management and injuries, the selectors have opted to test the bench strength ahead of a packed international calendar. Fast bowlers Prince Yadav and Gurnoor, along with Harsh, have received their maiden ODI call-ups for the three-match series against Afghanistan. The inclusion of uncapped players highlights India’s intent to broaden its talent pool and identify long-term options in both formats.

Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya have returned to the ODI setup after missing the previous series against New Zealand earlier this year. Their comeback adds experience and balance to the middle order heading into the home assignment. On the other hand, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj are among the notable absentees from the ODI squad that lost the home series 2-1 against New Zealand in January.

Ravindra Jadeja injury and Jasprit Bumrah rest influence selection calls

Ravindra Jadeja’s absence comes after the experienced all-rounder reportedly picked up a niggle during the closing stages of IPL 2026. Fast bowlers Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were also unavailable after missing the entire IPL season due to injuries.

The decision to rest Bumrah from the one-off Test appears to be part of India’s workload, and in his absence, Mohammed Siraj is expected to spearhead the pace attack alongside Prasidh Krishna. The selectors have also continued to back young all-rounders such as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, both of whom feature in the squads for both formats.

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India set to face Afghanistan in multi-format home series

The home series against Afghanistan will begin with the one-off Test in New Chandigarh from June 6 to 10. The teams will then move into the ODI leg of the tour, with matches scheduled in Dharamsala, Lucknow and Chennai on June 14, 17 and 20, respectively.

India and Afghanistan have previously faced each other in only one Test match, which took place in Bengaluru in 2018. India had dominated that contest, securing victory by an innings and 262 runs inside two days. With a mix of established stars and emerging names, India will now hope the upcoming series provides the ideal opportunity to rebuild momentum and strengthen their squad depth across formats.

India Test squad vs Afghanistan: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey and Dhruv Jurel.

India ODI squad vs Afghanistan: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey.

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