India Faces Afghanistan in One-Off Test Match at New Chandigarh

India is set to take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test match at the New PCA Cricket Stadium in Mullan, New Chandigarh. This encounter marks only the second time these two teams have clashed in Test cricket, with their previous meeting occurring in 2018 during Afghanistan's inaugural Test match. In that historic debut, India emerged victorious with ease.

Under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, India has struggled in the Test arena, failing to secure a series win against any major opponent. Since Gambhir took over as head coach, the team has suffered two consecutive home series defeats—both against New Zealand and South Africa—resulting in comprehensive losses.

For this match, India has announced a full-strength squad, captained by Shubman Gill. However, notable fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will not be participating as he has been rested for this fixture.

The toss for the match is set for 9:00 a.m. IST, with both teams eager to make their mark. India's predicted playing eleven includes KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant among others, while Afghanistan's lineup features Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

As for the win probabilities, India is heavily favored with an 80% chance of victory compared to Afghanistan's 20%. Betting odds reflect this, with India listed at 1.04 and Afghanistan at 11.50, indicating a strong belief in India's potential success.