The only test match between India and Afghanistan is being played in Mullanpur. This match started from June 6, in which Team India declared its first innings by scoring 564 runs. In response to this, the first innings of Afghanistan team was reduced to 152 runs. Meanwhile, a rule came into effect due to which the Afghanistan team had to come to bat again despite not wanting to.

Actually, the Indian team asked Afghanistan to bat again due to not being able to achieve the follow-on score. After all, what is this follow-on, due to which the India-Afghanistan Test is on the verge of ending on the third day itself? Let us tell you that the batting of Afghanistan team has flopped in the second innings also.

What is follow on?

In Test cricket, when a team achieves a lead of 200 or more runs in the first innings, it can force the other team to follow on. By doing this the first team tries to win without batting in the second innings.

If we take an example, India had scored 564 runs in the first innings in Mullanpur Test. If Afghanistan had scored 365 runs in the first innings, India would not have forced them to follow on, because Team India’s lead would have been less than 200 runs. Since Afghanistan’s first innings was reduced to 152 runs, on this basis Team India got a lead of 412 runs in the first innings.

Here Team India saw an opportunity that it could register victory by an innings margin. Victory by innings difference is achieved when no team is able to match the score made by Team A after batting even in two innings.

After the first innings is reduced to a score of 152 runs, if Afghanistan does not score at least 413 runs in the second innings, then only the Indian team will come to bat in the second innings or Team India will win the match by innings margin.

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KL Rahul and Shubman Gill scored centuries on the first day of India vs Afghanistan Test. While Rahul was out after scoring 100 runs, Gill completed his century a few minutes before the end of the day’s play. He is unbeaten after scoring 103 runs, so far in this innings he has hit 1 six and 11 fours. In the case of Indian captains who have scored the most centuries in Tests, Gill has left behind legends like Dhoni-Ganguly and has joined the top-5 list.

1. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is the player who has scored the most centuries for India in Test cricket as a captain. Kohli captained in 68 Tests between 2014 and 2022, during which he scored 20 centuries. 254 runs was his biggest innings.

2. Sunil Gavaskar

Between 1976 and 1985, Sunil Gavaskar captained the Indian team in 47 Test matches, during which he scored 11 centuries. As a captain, he is second in terms of scoring the most centuries for India.

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3. Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin is at number three in the list. He captained Team India in 47 Test matches between 1990 and 1999, during which he scored 2856 runs. As captain, he scored 9 centuries in Tests.

4. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar is the world number-1 batsman who has scored the most centuries (51) in Test cricket. But as captain, he scored 7 century innings with his bat. He captained India in 25 test matches, in which he scored 2054 runs.

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5. Shubhman Gill

Shubman Gill’s journey as captain in Tests has been excellent so far, he is playing only his 9th Test as captain. Gill has scored 6 centuries in 15 innings. As captain, Gill played his first Test series against England, in which he scored 4 centuries. After this he scored a century against West Indies and now Afghanistan.

By the end of the first day’s play in the Mullanpur Test, India had scored 368 runs and 3 wickets had fallen. Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are set and standing at the crease till the stumps on the first day. Gill has completed the 11th century of his Test career. Apart from him, KL Rahul also completed his century on the first day.

The Indian team won the toss and decided to bat first. For the first time a test match is being played on the ground of Mullanpur. Yashasvi Jaiswal was in early, who scored 24 runs, but KL Rahul, Shubhman Gill and Rishabh Pant have laid the foundation of a much bigger score.

In this match, Shubman Gill has completed 1000 runs as a Test captain. He has completed 1000 runs in 15 innings as captain. He could not break Sunil Gavaskar’s record in terms of reaching this milestone the fastest. Gavaskar had crossed the mark of one thousand runs in 14 innings as captain. Whereas Virat Kohli had played 18 innings to do this.

Gil-Rahul’s historic century

First, KL Rahul scored the 12th century of his Test career, but was out after scoring 100 runs on the very next ball. Rahul has now joined the list of batsmen who have scored the most Test centuries for Team India as an opener. As an opener, Sunil Gavaskar scored the most Test centuries for India, who scored 33 centuries. After him comes Virender Sehwag (22), Murali Vijay (12) and after him comes KL Rahul, whose 11th century as an opener.

Shubman Gill also created history by scoring the 11th century of his Test career. This was Gill’s sixth century in 15 innings as captain. In this matter he is only one century away from Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin had scored 7 test centuries as captain. However, Virat Kohli (20 centuries) has scored the most centuries as a captain for India. Rishabh Pant has also scored his 19th half-century in Test by the end of the first day’s play.

Afghan team lost their sweat

Mohammad Salim has taken the most wickets for Afghanistan so far, who took the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudarshan. Let us tell you that Sudarshan missed scoring a century who played an innings of 81 runs. Ziaur Rahman also took one wicket. Except Azmatullah Umarzai and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, all other bowlers have proved to be very expensive.

India vs Afghanistan Test will be played at New PCA Stadium (Mullanpur) from Saturday. Earlier in the press conference on Friday, Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir gave a big update regarding the playing 11. He talked about Rishabh Pant’s batting style and told that Sai Sudarshan will bat at number three.

Gautam Gambhir said, “Sai Sudarshan has not got proper opportunities. He has played most of his matches in England. I think he should get proper opportunities.” Talking about his performance in IPL, he said that he scored more than 700 runs.

Gambhir said, “We can select only 11 players and Sai’s form is not bad. He has scored more than 700 runs in IPL 2026. If we assess him on the basis of only 4-5 matches, then we will not be able to form any solid opinion.” He further said that in this match we will also have to find the option of the fourth spinner.

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Gautam Gambhir said, “Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey are very similar players, but there is a difference in the way they bowl. In this match, we will try to prepare our fourth spinner, because we will go with 4 spinners in Sri Lanka. Our preparation will be different on the New Zealand tour. I believe that you need good preparation for the Test.”

What did Gautam Gambhir say about Rishabh Pant?

Regarding Pant, Gambhir said in the press conference, “We do not want to change the batting style of Rishabh Pant, but in international cricket it is important for the players to respect the conditions of the match.”

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India vs Afghanistan test starts from Saturday. The toss will take place at 9 am, the match will start at 9:30 am each day. The match will be telecast live on Star Sports Network. There will be live streaming on JioHotstar app and website.

Gautam Gambhir PC IND vs AFG Test: The only Test to be played between India and Afghanistan will start from June 06 (Saturday). In the press conference held before the match, Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir told that which player will play at number-3 in the Afghanistan Test?

Gambhir said that the number-3 spot has been fixed for 24-year-old left-handed batsman Sai Sudharsan. The head coach believes that Sudarshan has not got a proper opportunity yet. Also talked about Sudarshan’s IPL form.

Sudarshan did not get proper opportunity – Gautam Gambhir

To be fair, he hasn’t got a fair chance yet. He has played only a few tests. He started his career in England, which we all know is not the easiest place to play. He has scored runs in IPL. “I still believe he hasn’t got his fair chance yet.”

Talking further, Gambhir said, “Unfortunately you can choose only 11 players. Sometimes you have to wait for your opportunity. I have always believed that the players we are going to play with, we should give them fair chances. Sai is also not in bad form. He scored almost 700 (722) runs in the IPL. If it is right to judge a player on 4-5 Tests, then I don’t think we will ever be able to make anything.”

Sai Sudarshan’s test career

Sudarshan has played 6 matches in his Test career so far. Batting in 11 innings of these matches, he has scored 302 runs at an average of 27.45. During this period, he has scored 2 half-centuries, in which the high score was 87 runs. Let us tell you that Sudarshan made his Test debut against England in June 2025. The last Test was played against South Africa in November 2025.

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India and Afghanistan are going to come face to face in a test match after 8 years. The next test match of both the teams will be played in Mullanpur from 6th June. This match is also historic because for the first time a Test match will be played in Mullanpur ground. Recovering from the 0-2 defeat the Indian team had suffered at the hands of South Africa in its last Test series, Team India will enter the field with the intention of defeating Afghanistan by a big margin.

When these two teams clashed in 2018, Team India won the match by a margin of innings and 262 runs. This time the Afghan team would like to perform better under the captaincy of Hashmatullah Shahidi. But on the other hand, which combination will Team India try? It should be noted that this match is not a part of the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

pitch report

Since a Test match will be played for the first time in Mullanpur ground, it may be a bit difficult to make predictions for both the teams. But fast bowling may dominate in the first two days. As the pitch gets older, it will become easier to hit batting shots here. If the match continues till the last session of the fourth day or the fifth day, then the spin bowlers can weave their magic.

head to head record

The only Test match between India and Afghanistan so far was played in 2018. In the first innings, Team India had scored 474 runs, in which the century innings of Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan had a big contribution. In reply, the first innings of the Afghan team was reduced to 109 runs. India forced Afghanistan to play follow-on, but the visiting team’s second innings was also limited to 103 runs. Team India won that match by an innings and 262 runs.

India’s probable playing eleven: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudarshan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna.

Afghanistan’s probable playing eleven: Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Afsar Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Umarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Qais Ahmed, Ziaur Rehman.

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Indian cricket team’s wicketkeeper batsman KS Bharat has announced his retirement from international cricket before the test against Afghanistan. He shared the information about his retirement with fans by sharing a post through social media.

Bharat, who has played 7 Tests for India, is not a part of Team India for the only Test against Afghanistan. Bharat, who was once with Team India as a backup to Test cricketer Rishabh Pant, was not getting opportunities in Team India for a long time. 32-year-old Bharat played his last Test for Team India in February 2024.

thanked everyone

While posting about his retirement, he first wrote ‘Thank you BCCI’. Bharat further wrote, “With a feeling of pride and gratitude, I announce my retirement from international cricket.”

He further wrote, “Playing for the country has been the proudest thing for me. My journey has required a lot of patience and perseverance, but representing India in Test matches is a priceless moment. In a family of four, we all have lived the same dream for two decades. Many thanks to my sister, mother and father who provided me with such an environment and support. I am the fruit of their love, discipline and hard work.”

KS Bharat’s career

KS Bharat played Test cricket for India in his career. He played 7 tests. Batting in 12 innings of these matches, he scored 221 runs at an average of 20.09, in which the high score was 44 runs.

If we look at his first class career, he scored 6102 runs in 180 innings of 113 matches at an average of 61.32, which included 11 centuries and 34 half-centuries.

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After the end of IPL 2026, the Indian team is going to take the field for the first time. India vs Afghanistan test match is going to start from June 6, which will be played in New Chandigarh. This is only the second time in history that a Test match will be played between these two countries.

Team India has to play only one test match against Afghanistan. Before that, know the status of the points table of the World Test Championship. Who is on top in the table and at what number is Team India? Also know whether the India-Afghanistan Test match will have any impact on the World Test Championship table or not.

WTC Points Table

The Indian team is currently at sixth position in the points table of the World Test Championship 2025-27. The path to the final seems very difficult for Team India. In the WTC table, teams are ranked according to points percentage. The percentage of Team India is only 48.15, whereas the percentage of Australia sitting at the top is 87.50.

Australia is first, New Zealand is second and defending champion South Africa is third. Even Bangladesh is above India in this table, which is currently at fifth position. England, Pakistan and West Indies, all three teams are present in the bottom three positions respectively.

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. South Africa
4. Sri Lanka
5. bangladesh
6. India
7. England
8. Pakistan
9. west indies

Points will not be added

Even if the Indian team wins the Test match against Afghanistan, its points will not be added to the World Test Championship table. The main reason for this is that Afghanistan is not included in the 9 teams participating in the WTC. Whereas the World Test Championship cycle includes those series in which at least 2 matches are to be played, whereas only one Test match is to be played between India and Afghanistan.

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The only Test between India and Afghanistan will be played from June 06 at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. Before the match, sad news came out for the Indian fans. In fact, the play of the team’s star fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is in danger. Jasprit Bumrah has not been made a part of the squad for the test. In such a situation, the entire responsibility is on Siraj only.

However, now the danger of Siraj being out is looming. According to the report of Times of India, Siraj has reached Chandigarh with the team, but he is under the supervision of the medical team. A decision regarding his fitness and workload will be taken in the next 2 days. Siraj was playing continuously in IPL for the last 2 months. In such a situation, the team management will not want to take any kind of risk regarding him.

Siraj played all the matches of the season for Gujarat Titans. Gujarat played a total of 17 matches including the final, Siraj was a part of the team in all the matches. Now it will be interesting to see what decision is taken regarding Siraj.

With Siraj out, the hope of other bowlers playing will increase.

If Siraj is unable to play the match, then Aaqib Nabi can be added to the team in his place. Nabi is with the team as a net bowler. In the absence of Siraj, Gurnoor Brar may also get a chance to debut. Aaqib Nabi can also be included in the list of debut players.

Aaqib Nabi had taken the maximum of 60 wickets in the last season of Ranji. After this it was believed that Aaqib was certain to get a place in the Test team. Although he was not made a part of the squad, but he is definitely with the team as a net bowler. Now it will be interesting to see which bowler’s luck shines in the absence of Siraj.

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Some Indians who played in the test match against Afghanistan have reached Mullanpur. The only test match between India and Afghanistan will be played here from June 6. Test team vice-captain KL Rahul and many other players have reached Mullanpur, but captain Shubman Gill has not joined the team yet.

Captain Phil and other players will reach Mullanpur on 3rd June. Players who have not yet reached the venue include Shubman Gill, Sai Sudarshan, Prasidh Krishna, Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna. There is a reason for Gujarat Titans having more players among them. Actually, after the final match of IPL 2026, there was news of fire in the team bus of Gujarat Titans. It is possible that the players playing for GT have not been able to travel quickly.

At the same time, many players of RCB have not reached Mullanpur yet. It is also worth noting that some players including Mohammad Siraj have been playing continuously after the T20 World Cup 2026 and have not got time for rest. According to a recent update, apart from the 15-member Indian squad, 6 other players have also reached Mullanpur, of which Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Aaqib Nabi is also one.

The Afghanistan team had come to India on May 27, which is improving its preparations. Let us tell you that Rashid Khan will not play in the test match, but will join the Afghanistan team for the ODI series.

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

Afghanistan Test Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmanullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Umarzai, Sharafudin Ashraf, Nangyal Kharotai, Qais Ahmed, Bilal Sami, Zia Sharifi, Salim Safi.

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