Big news for cricket fans today! BCCI Announced Home Schedule for the India-Afghanistan Series 2026. This marks a historic moment for both teams involved.
The series happens right after IPL 2026 ends. India will host Afghanistan for one Test and three ODIs. These matches take place throughout June 2026 across different venues.
The Historic Test Match Returns
June 6 marks a special day at Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. India faces Afghanistan in a Test after eight years! That’s right – their last Test was in 2018.
Remember that Bengaluru Test? India completely dominated from start to finish. Ajinkya Rahane led the team to an innings victory. The margin was a massive 262 runs!
Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan both smashed centuries. Ashwin and Jadeja destroyed Afghanistan’s batting with five wickets each. Afghanistan got bowled out twice for barely over 100!
Three ODIs Across India
The India-Afghanistan Series 2026 includes three ODI matches too. They’ll play from June 14 to June 20 at different locations. Dharamsala hosts the first ODI on June 14.
Lucknow gets the second match on June 17. Chennai stages the final ODI on June 20. All three matches are day/night games for better viewership.
| Match | Date(s) | Venue | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-off Test | 6–10 June, 2026 | New Chandigarh | 9:30 AM |
| 1st ODI | 14 June, 2026 | Dharamshala | 1:30 PM |
| 2nd ODI | 17 June, 2026 | Lucknow | 1:30 PM |
| 3rd ODI | 20 June, 2026 | Chennai | 1:30 PM |
This becomes India’s first-ever hosted ODI series against Afghanistan! They’ve only played in multi-national tournaments before. The Asia Cup and World Cup featured their previous encounters.
Why This Afghanistan Series 2026 Matters
Here’s the thing – this Test isn’t just any random match. India needs World Test Championship points badly. Their final qualification depends on winning consistently.
Plus, there’s a Sri Lanka series coming in August. This Afghanistan match bridges that gap perfectly. Every Test point counts toward making the WTC final.
The ODI series? That’s about preparing for 2027’s ODI World Cup. South Africa will host that tournament next year. India wants to test combinations and strategies.
Their ODI record against Afghanistan looks pretty one-sided. India won three out of four matches. One game was tied during the Asia Cup 2018.
Last year’s World Cup meeting was brutal for Afghanistan. India chased 273 in just 35 overs! Rohit scored 131 off 84 balls. Virat stayed unbeaten on 56.
BCCI released the schedule just two months before. Fans can now plan tickets accordingly!
