The tour begins with the longest format of the game before transitioning to the white ball leg. After the IPL ends, Indian fans will see a mix of seasoned veterans and young talent returning to national colors. Notably, this series serves as a crucial preparation window for the 2027 ODI World Cup, featuring batsmen like Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli is expected to take charge in the 50-over format.
IPL venue to make historic Test debut
In a milestone for Indian cricket infrastructure, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) will host its first-ever Test match. The red ball match will take place from June 6 to 10 and marks the venue’s evolution from a favored IPL destination to a recognized testing centre.
Cricket lovers in the region have been waiting for this moment for a long time. While the stadium has previously hosted high-octane T20 encounters, the five-day format will test the character of the surface and the players’ stamina under the summer sun. For Afghanistan, this is only their second Test match against India. Their debut in this format in 2018 in Bengaluru was a tough introduction, where India recorded a dominant victory by an innings and 262 runs. The Mullanpur Test offers the visitors another opportunity to showcase their technical growth in the longest version of the game.
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Schedule for India’s home match against Afghanistan
After the Test match, the focus will shift to a three-match ODI series starting on June 14. This leg of the tour is particularly historic as it marks the first-ever bilateral ODI series between India and Afghanistan; their previous encounters in the 50-over format were limited to multi-team tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the ICC Cricket World Cup.
The series will travel across the country, starting in scenic Dharamsala on June 14. The action then moves to the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on June 17, before concluding at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on June 20. Historically, India have the upper hand with three wins in four ODI encounters, although the memorable draw in the 2018 Asia Cup serves as a reminder of Afghanistan’s ability to punch above their weight.
| Sr. Well. | Day | Date | Time (IST) | Agreement | Location |
| 1 | Saturday | 06-Jun-26 | 9:30 am | One-time trial | New Chandigarh |
| 2 | Sunday | 14-Jun-26 | 1:30 p.m | 1st ODI | Dharamsala |
| 3 | Wednesday | 17-Jun-26 | 1:30 p.m | 2nd ODI | Lucknow |
| 4 | Saturday | 20-Jun-26 | 1:30 p.m | 3rd ODI | Chennai |
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