Close to nine years since gaining Test status, Afghanistan have played only
12 Tests, winning four and losing six with two drawn games so far.

They play their 13th, the one-off Test against India in Mullanpur, from Saturday. Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus wants the ICC to slot more Tests against strong full-member nations for them in the next Future Tours Programme.

“The four-day competition in Afghanistan is pretty solid with some really fine players and good depth in spin and fast bowling departments. There’s no shortage of quality, but it’s going to be a long-term struggle to develop a Test team if you get a one-off game, which is not a series. And then you’re waiting three, four or five months before you play another one.

“We need to have proper series. That’s more of a policy decision, though, at the ICC level. The side, however, will evolve very quickly if there are equitable fixtures, ensuring a space in the calendar for a proper series,” Pybus told The Telegraph on Friday, the eve of the India Test.

This will be the Afghans’ second Test versus India, after their first in 2018 in Bengaluru got over in two days.

This time, the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led unit has had an extensive camp back home along with a List A competition in “pretty hot conditions” in Jalalabad.

India haven’t had a great time lately in Test cricket, losing even at home. But for Afghanistan, it will still be a massive task to upstage the Shubman Gill-led side. However, the conditions in Mullanpur could make matters tricky.

“Yeah, India have had some challenges (in Tests), but that’s normal for all sides when they’re going through transition periods...

“The conditions here are very hot, so it remains to be seen how quickly the pitch, a new wicket, dries out,” the experienced coach said.