India, Afghanistan the protagonists in New Chandigarh’s maiden Test

New Chandigarh is set to become India’s 31st Test venue when it hosts the Afghanistan national cricket team in a Test match from June 6 to 10, 2026.

The ground, which has so far organized IPL matches, a men’s T20I and a couple of women’s ODIs, will be hosting its maiden five-day international. The fixture is part of Afghanistan’s tour of India.

The tour will also feature a three-match ODI series, with games scheduled in Dharamshala (June14), Lucknow (June 17) and Chennai (June 20). All three ODIs will commence at 1:30 PM IST.

Afghanistan last played a bilateral series against India in India in 2024, a three-match T20I series. Their only previous Test against India in India was at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, back in 2018.

Afghanistan have recently undergone a major shift in the dressing room with Richard Pybus taking over as the head coach following Jonathan Trott’s departure. India on the other hand, sealed a qualification to the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals after their win over the West Indies and will face England in the final four on March 5.