Former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble has picked India’s playing XI for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan. Kumble reckons rookie fast bowler Gurnoor Brar should play ahead of Prasidh Krishna.
After the conclusion of IPL 2026, India will face Afghanistan in a solitary Test match at New Chandigarh from Saturday onwards. Kumble reckons Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Harsh Dubey, and Gurnoor Brar should be the four specialist bowlers in India’s team.
“Two spinners for sure. One of them, Harsh Dubey, and then Kuldeep. Kuldeep is there. So you need to pick Kuldeep ahead of anyone else. So you pick Kuldeep and Harsh Dubey as the two spinners. I feel Nitish Kumar Reddy will play. The problem has been that he has been the fourth bowler, and the captain doesn’t look at him at all,” the former India spinner said on Star Sports.
“If he is the third bowler, hopefully, he will get a bit of a bowl as well. That’s something you need to look at. It can’t just be about his batting. He is an all-rounder. So look at him as a bowler too. If Gurnoor has been picked, there is a reason. Play him. If it means Prasidh misses out, he misses out, unfortunately. He gets a break, and Siraj plays,” he added.
The former Indian skipper reckons Washington Sundar should play ahead of Dhruv Jurel at number six as he can also contribute with the ball.
“Washington is also there. I have sort of picked Washington ahead of probably Dhruv Jurel, if that’s a possibility. I have looked at him as a batter. If you want him to bat at No. 3, then he should be good enough to bat at No. 6 as a batter,” he observed.
Kumble said the number three position has been a revolving door since Cheteshwar Pujara has announced his retirement.
“It’s been a revolving door ever since Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t been there at No. 3 because only two players, Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara, have played at No. 3 for nearly 30 years. Sai Sudharsan was given an opportunity after that. He batted well for sure against the West Indies in an innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium,” he said.
The former Indian head coach backed Devdutt Padikkal to bat at one drop against Afghanistan.
“After that, it couldn’t happen against South Africa, and even in England. So I feel probably Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3. I would like to see him. He has played at that number in Australia and got a fifty. He has done well in domestic cricket. Maybe test Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3,” Kumble observed.
Anil Kumble playing XI for Afghanistan Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar.
