Lucknow’s weather conditions are likely to alter the pitch conditions. With Afghanistan aiming for a powerful comeback and Shubman Gill’s captaincy eying his maiden ODI series triumph as Team India’s captain, the contest spices up.

Let’s take a look at the head-to-head records of IND vs AFG in ODIs and find out the key players to be included in the main XI to predict the winning chances of both teams.

India vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI 2026 Match Details

• Men’s ODI Match Number: 4980
• ODI Match Date and Day: June 17, 2026 (Wednesday)
• Venue: Ekana Stadium
• City: Lucknow
• Seating Capacity: Upto 50,000 spectators
• Match Timings (IST):
  • Toss: 01 pm
  • 1st Innings: 01:30 pm to 05:10 pm
  • Innings Break: 05:10 pm to 05:50 pm
  • 2nd Innings: 05:50 pm to 09:20 pm 

Head-to-Head Records of India vs Afghanistan in ODI Cricket

5 Key Players to Watch During IND vs AFG 2nd ODI

• INDIA:
  
  
  • Rohit Sharma: BATSMAN
  • Shubman Gill: BATSMAN
  • Ishan Kishan: WICKETKEEPER and BATSMAN
  • Harsh Dubey: SPIN BOWLING ALL-ROUNDER
  • Gurnoor Brar: FAST BOWLER
    
    
• AFGHANISTAN:
  
  
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz: WICKETKEEPER and BATSMAN
  • Hashmatullah Shahidi: BATSMAN
  • Azmatullah Omarzai: FAST BOWLING ALL-ROUNDER
  • Rashid Khan: SPIN BOWLING ALL-ROUNDER
  • Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi: FAST BOWLER

Ekana Stadium: Weather, Pitch, and Toss For IND vs AFG 2nd ODI

• Weather: Unlike the previous game in Dharamshala, there are higher chances for a complete 50-over contest to take place in the 2nd ODI match between India and Afghanistan in Lucknow.
  
  
  • Temperature: 30°C to 40°C
  • Wind  Speed: 13 km/hr to 18 km/hr
  • Humidity: 28% to 36%
  • Cloud Cover: 2% to 4%
  • Dew Point: 16° to 18°
  • Rainfall Chances: 1% (Very Low)
    
    
• Pitch: The slow and spin-friendly pitch at the Ekana Stadium makes it tougher for batters to score runs instantly. During the powerplay overs, the batting side should prefer a cautious start by not attempting aggressive strokeplay frequently.
  
  As the match progresses, the surface becomes dusty and dry, allowing spinners to play a main role with multiple variations. At the same time, the well-settled batters can find it easy to play highly skilled strokes. But there is no guarantee that the batting team would have an explosive start in the first 10 overs of power play.

Either a 250+ or 300+ total can make the game highly competitive between India and Afghanistan at this venue.

• Toss: Making use of the slow-paced pitch at the Ekana Stadium, the toss-winning captain should decide to bat first. Although there is a considerable level of dew factor predicted, it would play a crucial role only during late evenings or nights at this venue.

India vs Afghanistan Predicted XI For 2nd ODI 2026

Probably, India and Afghanistan could bolster their spin bowling unit to form the strongest playing XI combination in the following ways:

India’s Predicted Main XI For 2nd ODI vs Afghanistan:

Afghanistan’s Predicted Main XI For 2nd ODI vs India:

2nd ODI 2026 Winner Prediction: India or Afghanistan?

India’s 3-0 domination in the head-to-head stats and Afghanistan’s winless record against the same opponent can turn the match into a one-sided contest.

As both teams boast a strong spin bowling attack, a proper balance in the batting and bowling unit is essential to secure a convincing victory in the forthcoming ODI match at the Ekana Stadium.

The post India vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI Match 2026 Preview & Winner Prediction appeared first on Crickex.

Recently, the Super Over loss to the hosts further eroded the Indians’ chances of qualifying for the final. However, India A is not yet eliminated from the Tri-Nation A series despite losing three games on a trot.

As Sri Lanka already secured a berth in the final, Afghanistan A and India A are now under must win situation. However, the Afghans have stronger chances of facing off against the Lankans in the grand finale.

Out of six matches in the league stages, each team gets an opportunity to play four matches before securing a spot in the final.

Let’s break down the qualification scenario of Afghanistan A and India A for the tri-series 2026 final.

India A is in a must-win situation vs Afghanistan A

The only hope left for India A is to secure a win in their last fixture against Afghanistan A on June 17, 2026 (Wednesday) to tally upto 4 points. However, a victory at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium won’t guarantee a straightforward qualification for the Indians.

Additionally, Tilak Varma and his team should wait for Afghanistan to lose their next game against Sri Lanka on June 19, 2026 (Friday). This would ensure that the Afghans would conclude the tri-series points table with just 2 points.

Why Afghanistan A Holds Stronger Chances Than India A?

While India A is left with a solo game, Afghanistan A has a golden opportunity to secure consecutive wins in their forthcoming two matches.

In other words, Afghans should secure a win against India and Sri Lanka to deserve a straightforward qualification into the final.

Notably, Afghanistan would remain as the favorite to conclude second in the points table ahead of the final by defeating India on Wednesday (June 17).

Complicated Scenario: What if India A Loses to Afghanistan A?

India A should ensure not to lose by a huge margin to Afghanistan in its last league stage match. Additionally, the Indians should hope for the Afghans to suffer a massive loss to the Sri Lankans.

This is the only scenario left for India to progress into the final if they face defeat to Afghanistan, adding complications to their qualification chances as both teams would conclude with 2 points.

Moreover, the net-run-rate (NRR) would play a crucial role in determining both teamsâ€?fate, as India’s superior NRR of +0.330 compared to Afghanistan’s -1.392 NRR could enhance their qualification chances.

Tri-Nation A Series 2026 Points Table

Here is how the points table has been updated as of June 16, 2026, following Sri Lanka’s recent super over victory against India in the Tri Series A 2026:

3 Areas India Must Work to Avoid Tri Series A Elimination

As the forthcoming match against Afghanistan holds great significance for India, here are the three weaknesses that the team should overcome to avoid elimination:

1. Bowling Attack

Indian bowlers should focus on delivering accurate yorkers to restrict their opponent team from accumulating enough runs on the board. Most importantly, they lacked the wicket-taking abilities that proved costly in suffering three consecutive defeats in the ongoing season.

2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Form

On bowling-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s struggle to score huge runs has clearly been evident. Perhaps the flat pitches in India turned out to be favorable for the young opener to dominate against the world-class bowlers.

Particularly in a 50-over format game, Sooryavanshi should adopt a cautious start in the powerplay rather than attempting too many aggressive strokes at the early phases of an inning.

Mainly, the southpaw should ensure his long stay at the crease to gain exposure against the toughest opponents on an international pitch.

3. Making Use of Batting Depth

There is no doubt about the immense level of batting depth that India A boasts in this tri-series. However, the lower order has fired up and accumulated maximum runs compared to the top and middle order.

So, it becomes important for the opening batters, Prabhsimran Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, to build a consistent opening partnership to either compile mammoth totals on the board or chase challenging totals conveniently.

The post India A faces an elimination threat from the Tri-Series A 2026 after losing to Sri Lanka! appeared first on Crickex.

Having won his maiden Player of the Match award in international cricket, the 23-year-old, in his debut test innings, recorded the second-best bowling figures by any Indian bowler. He trails behind the former Indian legendary spinner Narendra Hirwani’s 8/61 against the West Indies in his debut test back in 1988.

Former England spin bowler Graeme Swann predicted that Suthar could be a perfect replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in the test cricket format. Likewise, former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar was impressed with the youngster’s orthodox spin bowling techniques.

Alongside Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar were the three core spin bowling all-rounders for Team India in red-ball cricket.

Let’s find out if Suthar can be a long-term replacement for Jadeja in the longest format.

Graeme Swann’s Opinion: An Eligible Candidate to Replace Jadeja?

During the media interaction with Star Sports, Graeme Swann explained how Manav Suthar can prove to be an ideal choice to replace Ravindra Jadeja:

“Yeah! He bowled very well in his debut match. Although he may not be as good a batsman as Ravindra Jadeja, his century in first-class cricket should be considered. It would be interesting to see whether the Indian selectors consider him the best replacement in the near future.

Manav will walk into the team if Jadeja decides it’s time for him to opt for retirement. Seeing his performance against Afghanistan, it didn’t seem as if he was playing his debut match. You should trust my instincts.

He (Manav Suthar) is the one born to play test cricket and became the 319th player to represent Team India in the longest format. Kuldeep Yadav handed the left-arm young spinner his maiden cap, which was a delightful moment to watch. The Gujarat Titans’ star spin bowler impressed with his performance at the grand stage,â€?Swann said.

‘A Very Good Debut� Gavaskar About Suthar’s Performance

Unlike Graeme Swann, Sunil Gavaskar didn’t make any comparison of the youngster’s talent with Ravindra Jadeja. Rather, he chose to focus on the all-rounder’s abilities while speaking on Star Sports:

“Certainly! Very impressed with his attitude. We are not aware of his batting abilities, but his dedication to show a great level of commitment towards the team was evident. However, he could have batted well like a newbie who compiles enough runs on the board like other batters; unfortunately, it didn’t happen.

Considering his bowling performance, he offered some turns and variations on Day 02. His mix of spin and faster deliveries showed his intent to make use of the playing conditions. There is no doubt that he was accurate with his delivery lengths, which prevented batters from playing aggressive shots and restricted their foot movement while attempting to take calculated risks to score runs.

His fearless approach helped to grab six wickets in his first innings, which was indeed a very good debut to remember,�the former legendary Indian opener said.

Reasons Why Suthar Cannot Be a Perfect Replacement for Jadeja

Although Graeme Swann gave a confident statement, there are reasons why Suthar cannot be an apt choice to replace Jadeja in test cricket. Let’s delve deeper to explore the unknown reasons in detail:

1. Only 6-Fer Against Underranked Team

Manav Suthar registered his career-best bowling figures of 6/33 in 22 overs during his maiden test match. However, it is to be noted that his best performance came at home pitch, that too against an under-ranked team like Afghanistan.

A player of Jadeja’s caliber should be able to deliver competitive performances against stronger teams in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27. His real skills would be tested only if he could be a part of India’s playing XI in the forthcoming test series in Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

2. Premature Stage Comparison

Having played just a solo test match against a non-competitive team, it would be unfair to label Manav Suthar as the next Ravindra Jadeja, who featured in 89 matches over his 14-year test cricket career.

3. Ineffective Batting Performance

As a tailender, Manav Suthar managed to score only 28 runs off 41 balls (including 2 fours and 2 sixes) in his debut test against Afghanistan, when batted at the No.9 position.

Spin all-rounders like Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel have shown a high level of consistency in terms of batting and bowling in the longest format.

In Gautam Gambhir’s era, only those all-rounders have managed to secure a spot in the playing XI who contributed effectively with the bat and ball.

With Suthar’s exceptional bowling skills and lackluster batting performance, it is unlikely that the selectors could include him in India’s squad only because of his abilities as a destructive orthodox spinner.

Overall Opinion

It is understood that Manav Suthar, despite his outstanding spin bowling techniques, needs to sharpen his batting skills. He needs to come up with better performance as a batsman and bowler in the forthcoming matches.

Exhibiting a better performance consistently than Axar Patel or Washington Sundar could help him to replace Ravindra Jadeja in the test cricket squad in the near future.

The post Manav Suthar: A Possible Successor to Ravindra Jadeja in the Indian Test Team in the Future? appeared first on Crickex.

With Iyer as the full-time captain of the 20-over format, the Indian team under his leadership marks a new era starting from the forthcoming tours of Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games 2026 in Japan.

Suryakumar, who led India to T20 World Cup 2026 glory, lost his captaincy as well as his valuable spot in the squad due to poor form with the bat in international cricket.

Interestingly, the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who created a sensation with the bat, was the leading run scorer in IPL 2026 and was included in India’s Asian Games squad as well.

This 10-team tournament includes four different rounds�Preliminary Qualifiers (September 24 to 26th), Quarter-Finals (September 28th to 29th), Semi-Finals (October 01), Bronze and Gold Medal Matches (October 03).

Men’s Asian Games 2026: Notable Absentees from India’s Squad

Rajat Patidar, the captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who led his team to back-to-back title wins, was one among the notable absentees from India’s squad. The 33-year-old was at his best form in the recently concluded IPL 2026 season, establishing his worth as a strong middle-order batsman. However, the selectors had other plans and decided to include other leading contenders in the middle order, such as Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma.

Rinku Singh is yet another notable exclusion from the squad. His explosive batting style and aggressive finishing skills in the death overs could have bolstered India’s batting unit. All-rounders like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar prompted selectors to add depth in the batting and bowling line-up rather than preferring a specialist batter like Rinku.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a proven destructive opening batsman for India across all formats. With a plethora of batting stars in the Indian T20I squad, his presence has been limited only to test cricket.

Suryakumar Yadav, a reliable 360-degree batsman of India, was overlooked just because of his poor form in recent times. As a captain and player, his exclusion from the squad sent shockwaves through the entire cricketing fraternity.

Mohammed Siraj, the veteran speedster too failed to grab a spot to spearhead India’s fast bowling attack in the Asian Games 2026.

Hardik Pandya, as a seam-bowling all-rounder, could have opened a new dimension in the batting and bowling unit. With Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube’s presence filling the void in the batting and pace bowling attack, Hardik’s inclusion has been overlooked.

Tilak Varma Named as India’s New Vice-Captain

Indian left-handed batsman Tilak Varma has officially been named as the new vice-captain of the T20I squad. His responsibility to serve as Iyer’s deputy starts from the Ireland tour. The southpaw’s vice-captaincy role promises to lead youngsters on a grand platform such as the Asian Games 2026.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to Break Sachin Tendulkar’s Long-Held Record

At the age of 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi earned his maiden India call-up following a stellar season in IPL 2026. In the forthcoming months, if he gets an opportunity to feature in the men-in-blue’s playing XI, he would become the youngest Indian debutant ever in cricket history.

Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut at the age of 16 years and 205 days in a test match against Pakistan on 15th November 1989.

The entire cricket world is excited to watch how Sooryavanshi gives his best performance at a young age on a grand stage.

Iyer’s Preference Over Two-Time IPL Winner Patidar: Agarkar Explains

Despite winning two consecutive IPL titles for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a captain, Rajat Patidar’s snub from the T20 squad sparked heated debates in the cricketing world. Experts argued that the RCB’s successful captain should have been honored with India’s T20I leadership role rather than Shreyas Iyer.

The BCCI chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, explained it was impossible to include all talented players in the 15-member squad. Here is what the 48-year-old said:

“Certainly! There were plenty of players. Out of which, we shortlisted 15 of them to be the deserving candidates. Although several players in India boast enough talent to secure a spot in the team, the guys who are performing well should get an opportunity as well.

We believe we’ve selected a strong squad. Unfortunately, there will be a few deserving players missing out. Still, we are satisfied with our current selection of the squad,�Agarkar said.

Team India’s 15-Member Squad for Asian Games 2026

BCCI selectors have planned to send a full-strength squad to Japan for the Asian Games 2026. While the batting depth features multiple power hitters, the bowling line-up comprises a proper mix of speedsters and spinners.

1. Abhishek Sharma: Spin Bowling All-Rounder
2. Sanju Samson: Wicketkeeper and Batsman
3. Ishan Kishan: Wicketkeeper and Batsman
4. Shreyas Iyer (Captain): Batsman
5. Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain): Batsman
6. Shivam Dube: Fast Bowling All-Rounder
7. Nitish Kumar Reddy: Fast Bowling All-Rounder
8. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Batsman
9. Axar Patel: Spin Bowling All-Rounder
10. Washington Sundar: Spin Bowling All-Rounder
11. Varun Chakravarthy: Spin Bowler
12. Ravi Bishnoi: Spin Bowler
13. Harshit Rana: Fast Bowler
14. Arshdeep Singh: Fast Bowler
15. Jasprit Bumrah: Fast Bowler

The post Not Suryakumar Yadav! Shreyas Iyer Takes Charge to Lead India At Asian Games 2026 appeared first on Crickex.

The forthcoming clash at the MYSIC (Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket) Stadium in New Chandigarh, Mullanpur, marks the first international fixture for both India and Afghanistan after the T20 World Cup 2026.

However, the India vs Afghanistan match won’t be counted in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.

To predict the winner of the upcoming test match, let’s take a look at the important details such as the head-to-head records, weather, pitch report, expected toss outcome, and probable playing XI.

India vs Afghanistan One-Off Test 2026 Match Details

• Men’s Test Match Number: 2,620
  
• Match Date and Day: June 06 (Saturday) to June 10 (Wednesday)
  
• Format: 5-Day Test Match (Red-Ball Test)
  
• Venue: MYSIC (Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket) Stadium in New Chandigarh (Mullanpur)
  
• Seating Limit: Upto 38,000 Spectators Allowed
  
• Match Timings (IST):
  
  
  • Toss: 09 am
  • First Session: 09:30 am to 11:30 am
  • Lunch: 11:30 am to 12:10 pm
  • Second Session: 12:10 pm to 02:10 pm
  • Tea: 02:10 pm to 02:30 pm
  • Third Session: 02:30 pm to 04:30 pm

Head-to-Head Records of India vs Afghanistan in Test Cricket

This is the second time India and Afghanistan will face off in test cricket, with the previous meeting dating back to June 2018.

India leads the head-to-head records with 1-0, having played their only test match against Afghanistan so far.

Let’s take a look at the scorecard of their previous clash, where India triumphed over Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs:

MYSIC Stadium Updates for IND vs AFG Test: Weather, Pitch, and Toss

Let’s take a detailed look at the five-day detailed report of the weather and pitch conditions at the MYSIC stadium, as well as the experts�suggestion to the toss-winning captain:

Weather Report:

Pitch Conditions:

For the first time, the Mullanpur pitch is set to host a test match. So, there isn’t much report on how the pitch conditions change for the five-day test match.

However, experts predicted that the surface tends to get slower as the match progresses. Especially on Day 04 and Day 05, spinners will have a great role to play on a dry and cracked pitch.

Toss Winning Captain Decision:

The toss-winning captain should prefer batting first and accumulate mammoth totals (350+ or 400+) at this venue. This is because chasing can prove to be extremely tough, particularly tackling against the spinners on a dry surface.

India and Afghanistan Predicted Playing XI For One-Off Test

Here is how India and Afghanistan should form their best playing XI combination that should include a consistent set of batters, strong pace, and spin bowling attack for the upcoming test match:

India’s Expected Playing XI vs Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Expected Playing XI vs India

IND vs AFG One-Off Test Winner Prediction 2026

India’s squad, with a mix of experienced and young talents, makes them the favorites to win against Afghanistan.

Also, the advantage of playing in home conditions enhances the hosts’ winning chances.

Ultimately, the team that bats first at the MYSIC stadium and boasts a strong spin bowling attack is likely to win the forthcoming one-off test.

The post India vs Afghanistan, One-off Test Match 2026 Preview & Winner Prediction appeared first on Crickex.

Recently, KL Bharat too retired from international cricket by officially announcing via a social media post. However, he remains eligible to play the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

This discussion comes after Vijay Shankar’s retirement, who recently bid adieu to his international and domestic career to represent Kandy Royals in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026.

Past Instances of Retired Indian Players Who Played in Foreign Franchise Leagues

Before Vijay Shankar, several Indian players retired from domestic cricket to gain eligibility to participate in foreign franchise leagues, which include the familiar names such as:

1. Dinesh Karthik
2. Yuvraj Singh
3. Unmukt Chand
4. Pravin Tambe
5. Irfan Pathan

A couple of months back, the legendary Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was signed by the San Francisco Unicorns ahead of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026. The 39-year-old is set to make his debut in the overseas franchise league after IPL retirement, having missed out on his maiden BBL stint with Sydney Thunder last year due to injury.

However, the Indian players’ decision sparked debates about whether they should be granted more freedom in the later stages of their careers without having to formally retire from the national cricket team.

BCCI Official Explains Reason Behind Five-Year Cooling Period Concept

The Indian cricket board clarified the reason behind introducing the five-year cooling-off period to ensure players make decisions carefully before retiring from international or domestic cricket.

Here is what the BCCI official said: “See! This concept conveys a clear message to players to be well aware of their decisions. Different methods and approaches will be worked out, and all parameters will be considered before framing the rules,�/em> the BCCI official stated.