Following IPL 2026, Team India will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test match that is not part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, as Afghanistan is not a WTC nation and the fixture is a standalone game. However, the match remains significant for India’s transition back to red-ball cricket and offers an opportunity to test young talent.
Following the conclusion of the IPL 2026, Team India will return to red-ball cricket with a One-Off Test match against Afghanistan, starting on June 6 at the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.
The players who were picked in India squad for the One-Off Test against Afghanistan assembled in Mumbai for the training following their duties with respective IPL franchises in the recently concluded season of the tournament. The India squad had its first training session on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at the PCA Stadium complex in Mullanpur.
After five months of T20 cricket, including the T20I series against New Zealand, the T20 World Cup 2026, and the recently concluded IPL season, Team India, led by Shubman Gill, will shift their focus towards the longer format of the game, with head coach Gautam Gambhir overseeing an intensive net session.
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IND vs AFG One-Off Test Not Part of the WTC Cycle?
As Team India and Afghanistan will face off for the One-Off Test match in Mullanpur, the outcome of the match will not be included in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 points table. The match will be considered an official bilateral Test match rather than a part of the World Test Championship league structure.
The primary reason for this fixture from the ongoing WTC cycle is that Afghanistan, though a Full Member of the ICC with official Test status, is not currently one of the nine nations participating in the World Test Championship cycle. Since WTC is limited to the top nine-ranked Test-playing nations, any Test involving Afghanistan will be considered an independent bilateral series and carry no championship points.
Afghanistan is ranked 12th in the official ICC Test team rankings and thus falls outside the elite group of the top nine Test-playing nations that qualify to participate in the WTC league structure. Currently, India, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and New Zealand are the nine nations competing in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.
Another reason for the exclusion of the One-Off Test between India and Afghanistan from the current WTC cycle is that ICC regulations mandate that for any Test series to be eligible for inclusion in the WTC points table, it must consist of at least two Test matches.
As the fixture between India and Afghanistan is scheduled as a ‘one-off’ or single-Test encounter, it automatically falls outside the criteria required for championship points, regardless of the participating teams. Though India is part of the WTC cycle, the victory or draw from the Test against Afghanistan will not contribute to their points tally or percentage of points earned.
Why Afghanistan’s One-Off Test is Crucial for Team India?
Though the upcoming One-Off Test between India and Afghanistan is not part of the WTC cycle, it will serve a purpose for the Shubman Gill-led side, as it provides a platform to address several key transitions and tactical challenges facing the team. Since the selected players have been involved in T20 cricket for five months, this match is a vital test of their adaptability.
Currently, Team India is sitting at the sixth spot on the WTC points table, with 4 wins, as many losses, and one draw, and having a PTC of 48.15% after nine matches. The Shubman Gill-led side is fighting to climb the rankings to secure a spot in the WTC Final.
With nine Tests remaining to play in the current WTC cycle, Team India must leverage these upcoming high-stakes series to improve their points percentage and reclaim a position in the top two. The upcoming One-Off Test against Afghanistan serves as a critical transitional bridge to help the squad regain its red-ball rhythm and settle tactical uncertainties before those vital championship fixtures.
Moreover, with the senior players like Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja rested for the One-Off Test, the team management is expected to use this fixture to provide opportunities to young talents like Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, and Gurnoor Brar, who are aiming to stake their claims in future Test selections.
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