India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan ended exactly as most observers expected, with the hosts dominating from start to finish to seal the biggest innings victory in their Test history. The result itself was never really in doubt, but Afghanistan’s lack of resistance with the bat has triggered a wider debate about whether they are ready for the longest format.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal was particularly critical after another lopsided contest between the two sides. Afghanistan, which was granted Test status by the ICC in 2017, have struggled to establish itself in red-ball cricket, and its latest defeat has once again raised questions about the standard of its Test performances.
“Why are they allowed to play Test?” Madan Lal told PTI. “I don’t understand the logic behind giving Afghanistan Test status. I also do not understand why affiliate nations are given Test status on the basis of their ODI and T20I record.”
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He pointed to Afghanistan’s batting collapses in this match, where they were dismissed for 152 and 102, and compared them with their previous Test against India, when they folded for 109 and 103. For Lal, such one-sided contests do not present a strong case for the growth of Test cricket.
“Is this good advertisement for Test cricket?” he asked. Since making their Test debut against India in 2018, Afghanistan have played 14 Tests and won four, with victories coming against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Ireland. Their progress in white-ball cricket has been impressive, but Lal believes the five-day format remains beyond their current comfort zone.
He suggested that Afghanistan should continue focusing on ODIs and T20Is for now, where they have already shown far greater consistency and quality.
“Playing Test is jumping the gun. First, they should learn how to play and last for 50 overs,” Madan Lal said. He also stressed that Test cricket demands strong infrastructure, long-format preparation and a deep domestic system, something he feels Afghanistan still lacks. According to him, the players themselves are not short of talent, but the habit and experience of playing five-day cricket are still missing.
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Former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim, however, offered a more patient view. He argued that Afghanistan deserve more time and more opportunities before being judged too harshly.
He pointed to Bangladesh as an example, saying they also struggled early in Test cricket before gradually improving and producing major results, including a famous win in Pakistan. Karim believes a war-affected nation like Afghanistan needs support, time and exposure rather than immediate criticism.
