The left-arm spinner earns his maiden Test cap while Afghanistan hand debut to all-rounder Nangeyalia Kharote in New Chandigarh.

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India elected to bat first after winning the toss in their one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, a match that marks several significant milestones for both sides.

The fixture is India’s first Test against Afghanistan since 2018 and comes less than a week after the conclusion of the IPL season. The biggest talking point for the hosts was the Test debut of Rajasthan left-arm spinning all-rounder Manav Suthar, who received his maiden cap ahead of fellow spinner Harsh Dubey.

For the first time since 2010, India are playing a home Test without either Ravichandran Ashwin, who has retired from international cricket, or Ravindra Jadeja, who has been rested. The responsibility of leading the spin attack therefore falls on Kuldeep Yadav, supported by Suthar and all-rounder Washington Sundar.

India have otherwise stuck with a settled line-up. B Sai Sudharsan retains his place at No. 3 ahead of Devdutt Padikkal, while wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant reaches the milestone of 50 Test appearances. Captain Shubman Gill will anchor the middle order alongside Pant and Dhruv Jurel.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, begin a new chapter under head coach Richard Pybus and have handed a Test debut to spin-bowling all-rounder Nangeyalia Kharote. The visitors have opted for a balanced attack featuring three seamers and two spinners.

The Afghan side is without two key players. Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan continues to stay away from red-ball cricket as he manages a long-term back problem, while opener Ibrahim Zadran is unavailable due to a leg injury.

The Test also marks a historic occasion for Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, which is hosting its first-ever Test match. The black-soil surface is expected to favour batting early on, though the intense heat and dry conditions could bring spinners increasingly into the game as the match progresses.

With temperatures expected to touch 40°C during the afternoon sessions, Gill indicated at the toss that he expects the pitch to deteriorate over the course of the five days, making batting progressively more challenging and placing greater emphasis on India’s spin resources.