The BCCI has announced its maiden call-ups for four rising talents ahead of the Test and ODI assignments against Afghanistan, with the campaign set to begin on June 6. Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar and Prince Yadav have been named across the two squads, and Brar is the only one among the quartet to earn places in both the red-ball and white-ball groups. The selection was confirmed by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, alongside chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, following a two-hour meeting in Guwahati on Tuesday.
Rested stars and key leadership change
As expected, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have been left out of both sets of selections. In the ODI group, Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya have kept their spots, though their availability will still depend on fitness checks. Alongside these changes, the BCCI also made a notable adjustment in Test leadership by replacing Rishabh Pant as India’s vice-captain with KL Rahul.
Speaking on Pant’s role, Agarkar indicated there is no worry about his standing in the longer format. He stressed that Pant is still central to India’s Test batting plans, pointing to a strong run in England before an injury interrupted his momentum. Agarkar also explained that the team is currently exploring two different wicketkeeping options in the one-day setup.
- Bumrah and Jadeja were rested from both the Test and ODI squads.
- Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya remain in the ODI team, subject to fitness.
- KL Rahul has been named Test vice-captain, replacing Rishabh Pant.
- Agarkar said Pant is not part of the ODI squad at present, but remains a key batter for Tests.
Afghanistan schedule: one-off Test, then three ODIs
The series begins with a solitary Test match in New Chandigarh. India will then play three ODIs at different venues—Dharamsala on June 14, Lucknow on June 17, and Chennai on June 20.
- One-off Test: New Chandigarh (starting June 6)
- ODI 1: Dharamsala (June 14)
- ODI 2: Lucknow (June 17)
- ODI 3: Chennai (June 20)
What the fresh faces add: profiles and domestic impact
Agarkar explained that the selectors are looking at players who can fit emerging needs, particularly with the South Africa World Cup in view. He referenced that a couple of players who were previously part of the ODI group had been dealing with injuries, which opened space for new options. He also highlighted the development curve of the new bowlers and the opportunity presented by the upcoming three one-day matches.
He said Gurnoor Brar has shown significant promise over the last year and a half, describing him as a tall fast option with some pace. On Prince Yadav, Agarkar pointed to the domestic season as evidence of his growth and also noted that Yadav had bowled well in the IPL. Agarkar further added that Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar bring valuable left-arm spin options into the Test mix, with Suthar included in the longer-format plans.
- Gurnoor Brar (25): Selected for both Tests and ODIs.
- Harsh Dubey (left-arm spinner, 23): Named in the Test squad.
- Manav Suthar (left-arm spinner, 23): Named in the Test squad.
- Prince Yadav (25): Included in the ODI squad.
Manav Suthar’s record
- 23 years old with 29 first-class matches.
- Taken 129 wickets at an average of 25.76.
- Played for India A against South Africa A in Bengaluru in late 2025.
- Represented Rest of India in the Irani Cup versus Vidarbha: took five wickets and made an unbeaten 56.
Gurnoor Brar’s domestic numbers
- 25 years old with 18 first-class games and nine List A matches.
- Took 11 wickets in eight matches for Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
- Was the joint-leading wicket-taker with eight scalps in India A’s two four-day matches against Australia A.
Prince Yadav’s form
- 25 years old and has been in the spotlight after dismissing Virat Kohli in the IPL.
- Finished as his team’s leading wicket-taker in that IPL stint.
- Also ended up as the fifth highest wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy season, taking 18 wickets in eight matches at an average of 19.27.
Agarkar on the selection logic for ODIs
Agarkar said the selectors have seen noticeable improvement in Yadav’s skills as a bowler over the past year. He also underlined that the skill set should translate well in white-ball cricket. He framed the three ODIs as a strong chance for players because the match conditions and the rule environment tend to favour batters, meaning India will likely back bowlers who can succeed under South Africa-like conditions.
Complete squads for Afghanistan
India Test squad vs Afghanistan
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- KL Rahul (vice-captain)
- 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
India ODI squad vs Afghanistan
- Shubman Gill (captain)
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer (Vice-captain)
- KL Rahul
- Ishan Kishan
- Hardik Pandya
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Arshdeep Singh
- Prasidh Krishna
- Prince Yadav
- Gurnoor Brar
- Harsh Dubey
