Saba Karim feels IND-AFG Test would help India in trying out new combinations, fixing woes in longer format
Mumbai, June 4
Ahead of India's one-off Test against Afghanistan, former Indian cricketer Saba Karim said that even though the match is not a part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle, India will treat it as an important game as they have problems to fix their batting and bowling woes in the longest format, especially in home conditions, where they have lost their long-lasting dominance.
India will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test from June 6 onwards at New Chandigarh. This comes after the Men in Blue suffered a 0-2 clean sweep loss to South Africa at home last year, marking back-to-back series whitewashes in two years in a row, after a 0-3 whitewash loss to New Zealand in 2024, which marked the end of India's 12-year unbeaten streak at home.
During the past few years, Team India has been let down by the performance of its batters against spin and with the retirements of Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara last year, they are facing a period of transition. India's number three revolving door has not been solved either, with Sudharsan collecting just 302 runs in 11 innings in six Tests at an average of 27.45, with two fifties.
Speaking on JioStar, JioStar expert Saba Karim said, "Yes, this Test match against Afghanistan is not part of the WTC cycle, but India will treat it as an important game. It gives them a chance to fix the problems they have faced in both batting and bowling. India has reached a stage where they need to seriously work on their Test cricket, especially in home conditions, where they have not been as dominant as before."
Karim also said that the Test match is an ideal platform for selectors to try out new combinations and youngsters. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been rested, with Mohammed Siraj set to serve as a pace spearhead with Prasidh Krishna, uncapped youngster Gurnoor Brar and Nitish Kumar Reddy as pace bowling options. Also, Devdutt Padikkal, who had a sensational domestic season last year and an IPL-winning campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) this year, is another option for number three.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also missing this one-off Test, with uncapped spin bowling all-rounders Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey in the squad.
"I think this Test provides an ideal platform for the selectors and the team management to try out new combinations and test young players. Exciting young talents have been picked in the squad. Performing here will give them the confidence to be selected for future series, including the big home series against Australia. If you look at where Indian Test cricket stands today, this match is a great opportunity. It is not just about winning; it is about building a team for the future," he added.
India Test squad vs Afghanistan: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vc), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Dhruv Jurel.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I agree with trying new combinations, but let's not forget - Afghanistan has been improving rapidly in all formats. This isn't going to be a walkover. Our bowlers without Bumrah and Jadeja need to step up. Siraj leading the attack is good, but we need someone to partner him well. Prasidh Krishna hasn't been consistent in Tests. Hope Gurnoor Brar gets a game - left-arm pacer is a rare commodity in Indian cricket!
As a neutral cricket fan, I think India is right to use this match for transition. The retirements of legends like Ashwin, Kohli, and Rohit have left big shoes to fill. But I wonder if playing Afghanistan (who are still finding their feet in Tests) is really the best preparation for the Australia series. Would have preferred a tougher opponent to truly test these youngsters.
Honestly, this is a clever move by selectors. After those back-to-back whitewashes at home, we need to rebuild from scratch. Shubman Gill as captain is a bold choice - he has shown leadership potential in IPL. I'm excited to see how Nitish Kumar Reddy performs with the ball. He has been impressive in domestic circuit. And Manav Suthar could be a good left-arm spin option for the future. Yeh match humein future ke liye taiyar karega! 💪🇮🇳
One concern: this is a one-off Test, not part of WTC. So players might not take it as seriously as they should. Look at how we lost to New Zealand and South Africa at home - those defeats should have been wake-up calls. Now we're playing Afghanistan, which is fine for experimentation, but the real test will be against Australia. Also, KL Rahul as vice-captain? His Test form has been patchy. Would have preferred someone more consistent at the top.
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