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Afghanistan have announced their squad for the one-off Test against India beginning on June 6 in New Chandigarh, with experienced batter Rahmat Shah, top-order batter Sediqullah Atal and star all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai all returning to the red-ball setup.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain Afghan side in both the one-off Test and the three-match ODI series that follows later in June. While the squad features a blend of experience and fresh faces, the biggest talking point remains the continued absence of Rashid Khan from Test cricket.
Rashid Khan rested again from Test cricket
Afghan side's premier spinner has once again been left out of the Test squad as the team management continues to prioritise his long-term fitness and workload management. Rashid has been dealing with recurring injury concerns over the last few years and recently admitted doctors had advised him to reduce his red-ball commitments.
The leg-spinner had previously revealed that medical staff were shocked by the number of overs he bowled during Afghan side's Test against Zimbabwe despite concerns surrounding his body. Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus has also publicly stated that Rashid’s long-term health remains the priority.
However, Rashid will return for the ODI series against India beginning June 14 in Dharamsala, giving Afghan side a major boost in the white-ball leg of the tour.
Rahmat Shah and Omarzai strengthen Afghanistan’s Test core
Rahmat Shah's return significantly strengthens Afghan side's batting experience. The veteran batter has played 11 of Afghanistan’s 12 Tests so far and remains one of their most dependable red-ball players. He missed only Afghanistan’s previous Test against Zimbabwe late last year.
Azmatullah Omarzai also returns after his impressive rise across formats over the past year. The all-rounder has only one Test appearance so far but arrives with far greater confidence and stature after becoming one of Afghanistan’s most important limited-overs players.
Sediqullah Atal's inclusion adds further depth to the top order as Afghan side continue investing in younger batting options ahead of a busy international cycle.
New faces earn opportunities against India
Afghan side have also handed opportunities to several less experienced players including Nangyal Kharotai, Bilal Sami and Rahmanullah Zadran, who continue the side’s gradual transition toward a younger core.
With Rashid absent, the spin attack is expected to revolve around Qais Ahmad alongside left-arm spin options Sharafuddin Ashraf and Nangyal Kharotai. Afghanistan’s management appear keen to test their bench strength in Indian conditions against one of the strongest batting lineups in world cricket.
India vs Afghanistan Test carries historic context
The upcoming match in New Chandigarh will only be the second Test between India and Afghan side. Their first meeting came in June 2018 when Afghanistan made their Test debut against India in Bengaluru and suffered a heavy innings defeat.
Since then, Afghan side have become a far more competitive Test side, registering four wins from their next ten matches and steadily building a stronger red-ball structure despite not being part of the World Test Championship.
Afghanistan Test squad for India
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmanullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangyal Kharotai, Qais Ahmad, Bilal Sami, Zia Sharifi, Saleem Safi.
Afghanistan ODI squad for India series
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharotai, AM Ghazanfar, Zia ur Rahman, Fareed Malik, Bilal Sami.
