For several seasons now, the national selectors have signalled that Mohammed Shami is no longer in the immediate picture for India’s Test plans. Even though the experienced fast bowler put in a strong performance in the most recent Ranji Trophy campaign and continued to feature regularly in domestic cricket—showing that, despite turning 35 and dealing with long-term injury worries, he can still meet the demands—his chances of returning for the next assignment appear slim. That is especially true as the selection panel prepares to name the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan.
As per a report carried by The Times of India, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is expected to convene either over the weekend or early next week. The agenda will be to map out India’s direction in the longer format, with the immediate priority being the standalone match versus Afghanistan. While the fixture will not count towards the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, it has been reported that the selectors and the team management intend to assemble their strongest available side.
Still, one issue could shape the final composition: the availability of India’s pace options. The Test is scheduled to start in less than a week after the conclusion of the IPL 2026 season, making it difficult to predict who will be rested, who will be available, and how workloads will be managed. The report states that the selection panel is currently waiting for the playoff outcomes, since the teams that qualify will influence which fast bowlers can realistically be released for the Test.
Following Tuesday’s round of matches, only two franchises have been knocked out of the IPL 2026 race: the Mumbai Indians and the Lucknow Super Giants. With that in mind, Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the one-off Test against Afghanistan—beginning on June 6—could be higher than expected. However, the same report adds that workload management will also be a key topic in Bumrah’s case.
Shami is another pace candidate who, on paper, could have been considered—particularly because Akash Deep and Harshit Rana are still working through injuries. Yet the report indicates that the BCCI is unlikely to reopen the door for the veteran pacer at this stage.
That leaves India with other fast-bowling resources for the Test, including Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Nitish Kumar Reddy—an all-rounder who can deliver pace—has also been mentioned as part of the group. In addition, Anshul Kamboj is in contention, having made his debut during India’s England tour last year.
“The selectors don’t believe in watering down the Test squad just because India are playing Afghanistan. They want to pick the best XI to compete in the match and are not keen on handing out Test caps too casually. Siraj’s workload limit is very high. Prasidh hasn’t played an IPL match since April 24. Nitish Kumar Reddy is also viewed as someone who could add value to the seam-bowling unit. The BCCI keeps track of every relevant workload-related data point,” a BCCI source said.
Continuing, the same source added, “A final decision on Bumrah will be made only after further detailed discussions. The last time India played Afghanistan in a Test match, the team management went with the frontline XI.”
