afghanistan Has revealed his squad for the upcoming one-off Test and three-match ODI series against IndiaMany experienced campaigners have returned to the setup. led the test team Hashmatullah ShahidiWhich includes the return of experienced batsmen Rehmat Shah and star all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai For the red-ball competition to be played in New Chandigarh from 6th to 10th June.
The selectors have also shown confidence in the top order young batsmen. Sediqullah AtalHe is seen as one of Afghanistan’s promising batting talents across all formats.
Rehmat Shah’s return adds experience to the batting lineup
The biggest talking point in the team announcement is Rahmat’s return to the Test team. The experienced batsman has been a key figure in Afghanistan’s journey in Test cricket and has featured in 11 of the country’s 12 Test matches so far. He missed Afghanistan’s most recent one-off Test against Zimbabwe last year, but his inclusion for the India challenge brings stability and valuable experience to the middle order.
Atal and Umarzai, meanwhile, are still relatively new to the longest format. Both players have only one Test match to their name, having made their debut against Zimbabwe in 2024. Despite limited experience, the team management is keen to invest in his long-term development.
Rashid Khan once again out of test team
star spinner Rashid Khan He continues to be unavailable for Test cricket as Afghanistan take a cautious approach regarding his fitness and workload management. head coach richard pybus It was recently said that Rashid should prioritize his long-term health after battling injury concerns in recent months.
In the absence of Rashid, Afghanistan are expected to rely heavily on leg spinner Qais Ahmed to lead the spin attack. left hand spin option Sharafuddin Ashraf And Nangeyalia Kharote The bowling department has also been included to strengthen it in Indian conditions. Pace attack will be available for test Bilal Sami, Zia Sharifi And Salim SafiWhile wicketkeeping responsibilities are expected to be shared between officer zazai And Ikram Alikhil.
Test Team: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rehmanullah Gurbaz, Rehmanullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai (wicketkeeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Azmatullah Umarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharotai, Qais Ahmed, Bilal Sami, Zia Sharifi, Saleem Safi
Reservation: Bashir Ahmed, Bashir Shah, Ismat Alam
Also read: This is why Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan rejected India’s citizenship request
ODI team retains familiar players ahead of Dharamsala series
Afghanistan’s ODI team for the three-match series starting in Dharamsala from June 14 is largely similar to the team that performed strongly against Bangladesh last year. The batting group will rotate once again Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim ZadranMerciful and firm.
Rashid will return to the ODI team and take charge of Afghanistan’s spin resources Nangeyalia Kharote And AM Ghazanfar. experienced all-rounder mohammad nabi And Umarzai is expected to play a key role with both bat and ball. A notable addition to the ODI team is the left-arm fast bowler Farid MalikWho is making a comeback in the format after last playing an ODI in 2024.
With a mix of experienced names and emerging talent, Afghanistan will aim to give India a tough challenge in both formats during an important tour for a rapidly improving team.
one day team: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Umarzai, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman, Farid Malik, Bilal Sami.
Reservation: Qais Ahmed, Salim Safi, Bashir Ahmed