Less than a week after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final, Team India is set to host Afghanistan in a multi-format series, starting with the one-off Test match.
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:
| Details | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings | 3rd Innings | 4th Innings |
| Team’s Innings Score | India: 474/10 in 104.5 overs | Afghanistan: 109/10 in 27.5 overs | Afghanistan: 103/10 in 38.4 overs | – |
| Highest Scoring Batters in an Inning | India: Shikhar Dhawan (107 Runs), Murali Vijay (105 Runs), Hardik Pandya (71 Runs), and KL Rahul (54 Runs) | Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi (24 Runs) | Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi (36 Runs) | – |
| Highest Wicket Taker in an Inning | Afghanistan: Yamin Ahmadzai (3/51 in 19 overs) | India: Ravichandran Ashwin (4/27 in 8 overs) | Afghanistan: Ravindra Jadeja (4/17 in 9 overs) | – |
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:
| Day | Temperature | Humidity | Cloud Cover | Dew Point | Rainfall Chance |
| Day 01 (June 06, Saturday) | 31°C to 40°C | 34% to 52% | 1% to 32% | 16° to 20° | NIL |
| Day 02 (June 07, Sunday) | 35°C to 39°C | 27% to 34% | 1% to 3% | 14° to 16° | NIL |
| Day 03 (June 08, Monday) | 34°C to 41°C | 17% to 30% | Upto 1% | 9°to 15° | NIL |
| Day 04 (June 09, Tuesday) | 35° C to 42°C | 21% to 23% | Clear Sky | Upto 12° | NIL |
| Day 05 (June 10, Wednesday) | 33°C to 43°C | 33% to 34% | Upto 2% | 15° to 18° | NIL |
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
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batsman |
| 2. | KL Rahul | Batsman |
| 3. | Sai Sudharsan | Batsman |
| 4. | Shubman Gill (Captain) | Batsman |
| 5. | Rishabh Pant | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 6. | Nitish Kumar Reddy | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 7. | Washington Sundar | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| 8. | Harsh Dubey | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| 9. | Kuldeep Yadav | Spin Bowler |
| 10. | Mohammed Siraj | Fast Bowler |
| 11. | Prasidh Krishna | Fast Bowler |
Afghanistan’s Expected Playing XI vs India
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Afsar Zazai | Batsman |
| 2. | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 3. | Rahmat Shah | Batsman |
| 4. | Hasmatullah Shahidi (Captain) | Batsman |
| 5. | Abdul Malik | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| 6. | Afsar Zasai | Batsman |
| 7. | Azmatullah Omarzai | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 8. | Qais Ahmed | Spin Bowler |
| 9. | Bilal Sami | Fast Bowler |
| 10. | Ziaur Rahman Sharifi | Fast Bowler |
| 11. | Mohammad Saleem Safi | Fast Bowler |
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.