Fresh off the back of the IPL season, international cricket is set to return with a bang as Afghanistan prepares to lock horns with Team India in a multi-format tour starting June 6, 2026. Looking to capture an elusive first-ever international victory against the heavyweights, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced two highly potent, strategically balanced squads for the upcoming one-off Test and 3-match ODI series.

Led by standard-bearer Hashmatullah Shahidi—who holds the captaincy reins across both formats—the Afghan selectors have executed a careful balancing act, resting premier assets for the long format while blooding top-tier young talent.

The Test Selection Strategy: Tactical Rest & Fresh Blood

For the lone Test match in New Chandigarh, Afghanistan's management has opted to rest marquee spinner Rashid Khan and top-order anchor Ibrahim Zadran to keep them fresh for the white-ball leg.

However, this has paved the way for an exciting generation of debutants. Dominant young batter Rahmanullah Zadran, fiery paceman Bilal Sami, and deceptive left-arm spinner Nengiyalia Kharote have all earned their maiden call-ups to the Test framework.

Official Afghanistan Test Squad:

Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmanullah Zadran, Nengiyalia Kharote, Abdul Malik, Afsar Zazai, Qais Ahmed, Sediqullah Atal, Ikram Alikhil, Bilal Sami, Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zia-ur-Rehman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sharafuddin Ashraf, and Mohammad Saleem.

The ODI Heavyweights: Maximum Firepower Restored

When the format transitions to the 50-over game, Afghanistan is pulling no punches. The ODI squad welcomes back superstars Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran alongside seasoned icon Mohammad Nabi and young spinning prodigy Allah Ghazanfar, creating an exceptionally dangerous white-ball unit.

Official Afghanistan ODI Squad:

Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Nengiyalia Kharote, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Ali, Allah Ghazanfar, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ziaur Rahman, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Farid Ahmed, Darwish Rasooli, Rashid Khan, and Bilal Sami.

Master Schedule: Dates, Venues, and Timings

The bilateral tour spans across four premier venues in northern and southern India, treating fans to an intense fortnight of cricket:

The Historical Context: Can the Visitors Break the Duck?

Historically, India has maintained an iron-clad dominance over their subcontinental neighbors, but the gap between the two sides has rapidly narrowed in modern white-ball cricket.

While Afghanistan has never beaten India in an official fixture, that memorable, heart-stopping tie in the 2018 Asia Cup remains a stark reminder that this Afghan unit possesses the raw dynamic capability to trigger a massive shock if Team India lets its guard down.