The Indian men's cricket team is set to commence its Test campaign for 2026 with a one-off match against Afghanistan on June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has provided insights into the likely playing XI. Yashasvi Jaiswal, India's top-ranked Test batter, will open alongside KL Rahul, who is appointed vice-captain. Sai Sudharsan is expected to bat at No. 3, bringing momentum from his IPL performance of 722 runs. Captain Shubman Gill returns to bat at No. 4 after recovering from injury, while Rishabh Pant marks his 50th Test appearance as the wicketkeeper-batter. The team will also feature Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar as all-rounders. Harsh Dubey is anticipated to make his debut as a spinner, with Kuldeep Yadav leading the spin attack. Mohammed Siraj will spearhead the pace attack, potentially joined by Prasidh Krishna, as India aims for a strong start in the Test series.