India faces Afghanistan today in a historic one-off Test match debuting at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. Captained by Shubman Gill, a youthful Indian squad takes on Hashmatullah Shahidi's team. Fans can stream the action live on Disney+ Hotstar starting at 9:30 AM IST.
NEW CHANDIGARH — The India national cricket team will return to the red-ball arena today, June 6, 2026, hosting the Afghanistan national cricket team in a solitary, one-off Test match. The historic fixture is being played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, marking the ground's official debut as India's newest international Test venue.
This development holds immense significance for cricket enthusiasts and broadcasters globally. Coming on the heels of a highly competitive domestic season, the match serves as a crucial testing ground for India's bench strength under the leadership of newly appointed captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir, while Afghanistan aims to secure its first major Test upset on Indian soil.
Broadcast and Live-Streaming Channels Detailed
Cricket fans looking to stream the match live in India can access the official broadcast through multiple media options. According to schedules confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the five-day match is scheduled to begin daily at 9:30 AM IST, with the toss taking place at 9:00 AM IST.
Live Streaming: The premium digital streaming rights for this bilateral series are held by Disney+ Hotstar. Fans can watch the full live stream via the app and official website.
Television Broadcast: On linear television networks, the match will be broadcast live across the Star Sports Network channels with multi-lingual commentary options.
Team Overview and Squad Dynamics
India enters the contest with a heavily modified squad, resting several senior players including veteran fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Shubman Gill is wearing the captain's armband, supported by seasoned batsman KL Rahul as the designated vice-captain. The squad selection indicates a clear long-term strategy by the national selection committee to integrate younger domestic talent into the senior setup. Uncapped prospects such as Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, and local fast-bowler Gurnoor Brar have earned maiden Test call-ups following stellar performances in the domestic circuit.
Conversely, Afghanistan arrives with a determined but short-handed roster. Led by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, the visitors are notably missing the services of their iconic talisman Rashid Khan, who has been rested alongside opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran. The operational focus for the Afghan team remains anchored around experienced core figures like Rahmat Shah, wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil, and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai.
Head-to-Head Record and Venue Conditions
Historically, encounters between these two Asian neighbors in the longest format of the game are exceedingly rare. India and Afghanistan have faced each other in only one previous Test match back in June 2018 in Bengaluru, an encounter that India won comprehensively by an innings and 262 runs.
While India holds an overwhelming statistical advantage, the completely neutral and unmapped territory of the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium adds an unpredictable variable to the match. According to local pitch curators, the surface has traditionally offered high-scoring white-ball conditions in domestic leagues, but it is expected to offer reliable assistance to both traditional seam bowlers and spinners as the five-day game progresses into days four and five.
Official Sources Section
The schedule windows, venue allocations, and roster adjustments detailed in this preview report are sourced directly from regulatory media releases issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and verified via official squad announcements from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
"Our skipper Shubman Gill will lead the Indian Test side in the upcoming one-off Test match against Afghanistan, starting in Mullanpur on June 6. The Indian cricket team will return to action... marking a remarkable milestone at India's newest Test venue."
— Official Team Representative, via corporate statement.
Why It Matters
For the global sporting economy, this match represents a significant commercial asset in the current international broadcast cycle. For corporate advertisers, local tourist authorities in Chandigarh, and traveling sports fans, the establishment of Mullanpur as an official active Test destination diversifies India's sporting infrastructure, promising boosted revenue pipelines for regional hospitality and transit businesses during long-format cricket events.
Key Facts at a Glance
New Territory: The match introduces the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur as India's newest operational Test venue.
Fresh Leadership: Dynamic top-order batsman Shubman Gill steps up to captain the host country's Test unit, under head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Streaming Access: Indian consumers can stream every session live via the Disney+ Hotstar digital interface, while television broadcast remains handled via the Star Sports Network.
Squad Alterations: Emerging youth players Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, and Gurnoor Brar are positioned for potential maiden Test caps during this fixture.
FAQ Section
Q1: What time does the India vs Afghanistan Test match start today?
The live match action begins promptly at 9:30 AM IST, with the official coin toss scheduled half an hour earlier at 9:00 AM IST.
Q2: Is Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma playing in this Test match?
No. Senior figures including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are rested from the Test match roster for this specific assignment, but they are expected to rejoin the national squad for the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) leg of the tour.
Q3: Where is the match being played?
The game is being hosted at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium located in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, Punjab.
Q4: How many Test matches have India and Afghanistan played against each other previously?
Prior to today's game, the two teams had played each other in only one solitary Test match, which took place in June 2018 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Source: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
