At this point in time, the Indian Premier League in its 2026 edition is primed for a close finish. Thrilling, absolutely entertaining and suspenseful, or just some of the adjectives that define the IPL in its 2026 conception given the close games and perhaps unexpected bit of results that have come, the players’ and the fans’s way. Just a couple of more games actually remain before the IPL in 2026 draws to a close and what terrific and utterly entertaining series. It has been. Isn’t it? However, that’s not the end of Cricket as we know it and not long after the IPL will come to a close shall we see another hopefully folding and closely for series this time, a bilateral one and two in the beating heart of the subcontinent?

Afghanistan going to be in India for a test and ODI series, which includes three one day Internationals, but a single one of Test match that will take place at Dharamsala. It’s an important series from the consideration of two perspectives. First India will be getting into action and rather young and dangerous. Looking side in the one day set up is going to lock on with the rapidly rising Afghanistan at the same time, some of the players, including Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant will no longer form part of the one day set up. While Bumrah will be resting given his workload management, some of the other talents have been given a consideration over familiar names like Rishabh Pant.

But an important part, but obviously for the preparation of this series is the team camp, which will assemble in just a few hours from now before the one of Test match against Afghanistan takes place.

And for that very said matter, the team camp will be organised at New Chandigarh, where the players have been requested to assemble on June 2 2026, exactly. New Chandigarh will be there first, and most definitive halt before the actual five day, Red ball game action begins against the visiting Afghanistan side.

For the entire squad which has been enlisted by the vulnerable BCCI to take up the test match against Afghanistan will be assembling at New Chandigarh, which is on way to Dharamshala up in the hills.

While at one point, it is interesting to see how Shubman Gill will lead his troops for his is now the Red ball captain for India. What will be interesting? Is whether the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of them have already retired from the format going to be missed or not.

He has had such a tremendous season last year in Red ball cricket - when he fired on north of 700 runs, in particular, on a single away to England. Now batting in English conditions was never easy, but this time around the challenge would be to dominate with the bat in Indian conditions, even if it is for one of Test match which is soon to begin. Also, what’s fighter interesting to see is whether India can inflict a big margin of defeat against Afghanistan in order to collect the useful points in what is a new World Test match championship cycle.

There’s so much to follow as far as the soon to begin Afghanistan series is concerned.