IND vs AFG Test: Jasprit Bumrah may get rest from India-Afghanistan Test, captain may also change

The biggest reason behind this decision is said to be workload management. The final of IPL 2026 is to be held on May 31 and this test will start just five days after that. In such a situation, players will have very little time for rest and preparation, which could increase the risk of injury and fatigue.

Busy schedule ahead became the reason
The upcoming schedule of the Indian team is very busy. The team has to first play an ODI series, then do a full white-ball tour of England. After this, important test series are also to be played against Sri Lanka and New Zealand. In such a situation, BCCI does not want its key players to become victims of fatigue.

Test not included in WTC calendar
This test match against Afghanistan is not part of the World Test Championship (WTC). For this reason, the selectors are looking at it as an experiment, where the bench strength can be tested by giving rest to the senior players.

Gambhir and Gill have already expressed their displeasure
According to reports, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill had earlier also expressed their displeasure over such a busy schedule. The change in Test and then ODI format after IPL is being considered physically and mentally challenging for the players.

New players may get a chance
If the senior players rest, many new faces may get a chance in the team. Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar and left arm spinner Manav Suthar are said to be the frontrunners in the race for debut. Apart from this, players like Aaqib Nabi, Harsh Dubey, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal are also being monitored.

Who will take over the captaincy?
In case of Shubman Gill being out, experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja can be given the command of the team. Jadeja has been an important part of the team for a long time and is also considered the unofficial leader of the Test team.