India probable Test squad vs Afghanistan: Bumrah rested, Padikkal at No. 3 as Prince Yadav and Auqib Nabi earn call-up

India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan may not be part of the World Test Championship cycle, but it still matters. The match will begin on June 6 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is expected to meet on May 19 to finalize the squad.

According to PTI, India are unlikely to experiment heavily in the red-ball squad, with selectors preferring tried and tested faces ahead of away tours to Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Still, a few changes from the squad that lost 0-2 to South Africa last year look likely. Jasprit Bumrah could be rested for the Test and used in the ODI series instead, Axar Patel’s place is under pressure, Akash Deep is injured, and Devdutt Padikkal could replace Sai Sudharsan at No. 3.

IND vs AFG: Devdutt Padikkal could replace Sai Sudharsan at No. 3

India’s No. Position 3 has become one of the most debated red-ball slots. Sai Sudharsan has been the preferred option since the England series, but his Test returns have not been convincing enough. In six Tests, he has scored 302 runs at an average of 27. His trouble against the incoming delivery has been noticed, and his first-class average of around 38 from 39 matches does not make the case watertight either.

That opens the door for Devdutt Padikkal. The left-hander was part of India’s squad during the South Africa series, and he has a stronger recent first-class case. In the last domestic season, he scored 543 runs in six matches at an average of 60. His height, reach and ability to bat long make him an attractive option at No. 3, especially if India want a player who can handle bounce on future away tours.

Former India spinner R Ashwin has strongly backed Padikkal for the role. ‘I want Devdutt Padikkal to be India’s No. 3 in test cricket. He has batted so well, and he deserves to be an incumbent Test player for India. He should be given a long-term chance,’ Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. He also praised Padikkal’s improvement against spin, saying he now uses sweep, reverse sweep and his feet better than before.

Washington Sundar and Dhruv Jurel are also options for No. 3. Washington has batted there for Tamil Nadu, while Jurel could be used as a specialist batter. But if India want a natural top-order player, Padikkal looks the cleanest fit.

Jasprit Bumrah rest likely, pace race opens up for India vs Afghanistan One-off Test

Bumrah’s workload will shape the pace attack. According to PTI, he is unlikely to skip the entire Afghanistan series, but he may play only one format. The one-off Test runs from June 6 to 10, while the three ODIs will be played on June 14 in Dharamsala, June 17 in Lucknow and June 20 in Chennai. Since the Test is not part of the WTC cycle, it would make sense to rest Bumrah from the red-ball game and use him in the ODIs, especially with the 2027 World Cup cycle beginning to take shape.

If Bumrah misses the Test, Mohammed Siraj becomes the leader of the pace attack. Siraj was one of India’s busiest red-ball bowlers last year, taking 43 wickets in 10 Tests. Prasidh Krishna could return as the second frontline pacer. He was overlooked for the South Africa series, but he has been active and effective, taking 18 wickets in four matches for Karnataka and 14 wickets in eight IPL 2026 games for Gujarat Titans.

Akash Deep is unlikely because of injury. He missed the entire IPL 2026 with a lower-back issue, though he had taken 24 wickets in ten matches for Bengal in the domestic season. Harshit Rana is also unlikely to be fit soon, which opens space for a fresh name.

This is where Auqib Nabi and Prince Yadav enter the picture. Nabi has a massive red-ball case after taking 60 wickets in 10 Ranji Trophy matches to help Jammu and Kashmir win their maiden title. He averaged just 12.56 and has been consistent across two seasons, having also taken 44 wickets in eight matches in 2024-25.

Prince Yadav is more of a surprise option, but with Akash Deep injured, his pace and recent rise could push him into the squad conversation. He has impressed in white-ball cricket and IPL 2026, and India may view him as a developmental fast-bowling pick.

Also READ: Devdutt Padikkal set to take Sai Sudharsan’s No. 3 spot in India’s Test XI: Report

Spinners and wicket keeping options for India

In spin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar look like automatic picks. Jadeja remains almost impossible to replace. In 2025, he was India’s best Test batter with 764 runs at an average of 63, while also taking 25 wickets. Kuldeep remains India’s most attacking specialist spinner, and Washington gives batting depth with off-spin.

Axar Patel is the one under pressure. His Test wicket returns have dipped. He took only three wickets in four Tests in 2023, five wickets in two Tests in 2024, and two wickets in the South Africa series in 2025. If selectors move on, Manav Suthar could be the left-arm spin alternative.

He took 18 wickets in three Ranji matches this season and had impressed for India A against Australia A with eight wickets in two innings. Harsh Dubey and Tanish Kotian are outside options, but Suthar seems closer to the queue.

The wicketkeeping slots are straightforward. Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel should both be picked. Pant is one Test away from 50 matches and has nearly 3,500 Test runs at an average of 42.91. His South Africa series was poor, with only 49 runs in two Tests, but he remains India’s first-choice red-ball keeper. Jurel’s technique and temperament make him a strong backup and possible specialist batting option.

India’s last Test squad against South Africa was: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk, vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep.

Probable India Test squad vs Afghanistan:

Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk, vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Auqib Nabi, Prince Yadav.

Probable India XI vs Afghanistan for One-off Test:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

The biggest changes would be Padikkal replacing Sudharsan at No. 3, Bumrah being rested, Prasidh coming in for Axar to strengthen the pace department, Auqib Nabi replacing Bumrah in the squad, and Prince Yadav coming in for injured Akash Deep. India are not ripping up their Test plans, but they may use this Afghanistan match to quietly fix problem areas before tougher overseas assignments arrive.