Afghanistan need more Test cricket to grow: Shahidi ahead of India Test

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi believes his side has come a long way since its maiden Test appearance against India in 2018, but says regular exposure to red-ball cricket remains crucial for the team’s development.

Afghanistan, who were granted Test status in 2018, will take on India in a one-off Test in New Chandigarh from Saturday. Their first-ever Test was also against India in Bengaluru, where they suffered a heavy defeat inside two days. Since then, Afghanistan have played only 12 Tests in eight years, with their most recent outing coming against Zimbabwe in October 2025.

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Reflecting on the journey, Shahidi said the team is far more experienced now than it was during that historic debut.

“That 2018 match was our first-ever game in red-ball cricket, and compared to now, we didn’t have any experience back then. After that, we played more cricket and learned a lot. With time, you gain experience. Personally, I have gained a lot of experience compared to that time,” he said in the presser.

“We have more experience now, but we need to play more Tests. We play only one or two Test matches per year, so the boys don’t have that much experience playing red-ball cricket.

“But when it comes to our domestic structure, we have good first-class cricket in our country. Every boy plays six to seven games each and every year in red-ball. So that experience is also with us,” he added.

Afghanistan prepared for the match with a three-week training camp in Jalalabad, where players trained in conditions similar to those expected in India. “The weather was around 34°C to 35°C over there, so we got used to it. Most of us are okay with the hot weather.

“I have two double-hundreds in my Test career across 10 or 11 games. Rahmat Shah has scored a double hundred, and other guys have scored hundreds for Afghanistan in this format. This shows we have the patience and we know how to score runs here.

“As everyone knows, the best format of this game is Test cricket. If anyone is better at red-ball cricket, they will definitely be good at white-ball cricket. That’s why we have a lot of talent in Afghanistan… everyone is excited to play.”

Despite acknowledging the challenge of facing India at home, Shahidi said Afghanistan will approach the contest with confidence.

“We know India is a big country and they have a lot of players who can step up; there is no doubt the Indian players are very talented. But at the same time, I am the opposition captain, so I really want them not to do well in this game. I want my team to do well – we don’t hide or step backwards,” he said.