India to face Afghanistan in non-championship Test ahead of WTC crunch
The one-off match from June 6 to 10 carries no World Test Championship points as Afghanistan is excluded from the 2025-27 cycle, but serves as critical preparation for India’s remaining nine championship fixtures.
India is set to open its 2026 red-ball season with a single Test match against Afghanistan at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. Scheduled from June 6 to 10, the fixture is excluded from the World Test Championship (WTC) standings because Afghanistan is not among the nine nations participating in the 2025-27 cycle. Consequently, the result will have no bearing on the championship table.
The Shubman Gill-led Indian side views the match as a vital opportunity to reconnect with the demands of Test cricket following a lengthy white-ball season. With India currently facing an uphill battle in the WTC standings due to mixed results over the past year, management is using this period to assess combinations and fine-tune strategies ahead of a demanding schedule.
India has nine championship Tests remaining in the current cycle, including series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, followed by the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The Afghanistan match allows the team to give players extended time in the middle and prepare for these high-stakes encounters without the immediate pressure of points accumulation.
For Afghanistan, the contest holds historical weight as only their second-ever Test against India. The two sides previously met in Bengaluru in 2018, a match that marked Afghanistan’s debut in Test cricket. The visit to New Chandigarh offers the visitors a valuable chance to test themselves against one of the format’s traditional powerhouses.
While the scoreboard in New Chandigarh will not alter the WTC table, both teams have distinct objectives. India aims to sharpen its red-ball skills for the critical stretch of championship fixtures, while Afghanistan seeks further experience against elite opposition in the longest format of the game.
