The Indian cricket team will lock horns with Afghanistan on 14th of June at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. While it is going to be a historic day for the Afghanistan team, Team India will be eager to start their preparation for the much-awaited England tour. Even though English conditions will be completely different as compared to the Indian conditions, it will be a great opportunity for the team management to get the players back in Test mode.

India will be missing the services of the regular skipper Virat Kohli and as a result of that, Ajinkya Rahane will be leading the squad. The leading pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have also been rested for this Test. In the absence of these regulars, it will be an opportunity for the team management to test the strength ahead of the grueling tour of England. We will look at India’s expected playing XI for the Test against Afghanistan.

Team India’s opening combination will be crucial

With the availability of all the three openers, KL Rahul, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, there are certain chances that the team management would like to play with all three of them. Dhawan and Vijay are expected to open the innings while Rahul will get the no. 4 position as no. 3 is already occupied by Cheteshwar Pujara. Rahane will take his usual three down position followed by Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya.

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However, the depending on the pitch conditions in Bengaluru, the fours Indian bowlers may vary as in the seeming conditions they will go with three pacers and one spinner while in batting or spinning conditions they are expected to go with two pacers and two spinners. R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav are expected to make into the playing XI along with the pace support of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.

India’s Predicted XI: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma.