Amid reports of Afghanistan hosting India in New Delhi for a three-match T20 series beginning on June 6, history between the two ‘friendly’ cricketing nations will take a fresh turn at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.On Saturday, the forthcoming one-off Test will mark Afghanistan’s first red-ball encounter against India since 2018, the year of their Test debut. That inaugural match, played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, ended in just two days, with India becoming the first Asian side to secure such a swift victory. Though the result was disastrous for Afghanistan, the team has since shown promise, reducing the likelihood of an easy win for India in Mullanpur. The Test also comes at a time when many Afghan cricketers reside abroad, playing club cricket in the UAE, India and elsewhere, largely since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, yet continuing to pursue the sport internationally.Afghanistan have played only 10 Tests so far—three against Zimbabwe, two each against Ireland and Bangladesh, and one each against West Indies, Sri Lanka and India—winning three (against Bangladesh, Ireland and Zimbabwe). This will be their first Test at Mullanpur, and notably, the first ever hosted by the Punjab Cricket Association at the newly built Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium, adding historic significance.From their beginnings in the ICC World Cricket League Division in 2008 to achieving Full Member status in 2017, Afghanistan’s rise has been widely admired. Starting from scratch in 2001 with affiliate status, they reached the semi-final of the 2006 Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Trophy, became joint winners of the inaugural ACC Twenty20 Cup in 2007, and qualified for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. Their first ODI came against Pakistan in 2012, followed by promotion to Associate membership in 2013. A landmark moment arrived in 2015 when they recorded their first World Cup win, defeating Scotland by one wicket. With Full Member status granted in 2017, Afghanistan now return to Test cricket in 2026, marking another milestone.An experienced sideIn the absence of Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran, who featured in their last Test against Zimbabwe in 2024, Afghanistan will be led by Hashmatullah Shahidi. The squad includes Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmanullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafudin Ashraf, Nangyal Kharotai, Qais Ahmad, Bilal Sami, Zia Sharifi and Saleem Safi. Atal and Omarzai, with just one Test appearance each, return, while Kharoti, Sami and Zadran earn maiden call-ups.In the Zimbabwe Test, Rahmat Shah scored an unbeaten 231—the highest individual score by an Afghan in Test cricket—surpassing Shahidi’s unbeaten 200 against the same opponents in 2021. Shahidi, 31, from the Pashtun community, is the most experienced player in the squad, with extensive knowledge of Indian pitches and a reputation as Afghanistan’s leading Test run-scorer. Wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, with 19 IPL matches under his belt, will also be crucial. Omarzai, familiar with the Mullanpur ground through his stint with Punjab Kings, enters his second Test with valuable local experience. Qais Ahmad, returning after last playing in 2024, adds depth to the bowling attack.While India will be the favourites against the Afghans, it will not help the side to improve their WTC standing as the Test match will not be counted as part of the cycle. The ICC’s WTC currently features only nine nations: Australia, India, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Indies.