India Holds Perfect Record as Afghanistan Test Heads to Mullanpur

India leads the Test head to head against Afghanistan 1-0. The two sides meet for only their second Test when the one-off match begins June 6, 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. The first clash in 2018 delivered a result few who watched will forget.

That June afternoon at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru told the story of a team taking its first steps in Test cricket and another operating at full throttle. India won the toss, batted, and never looked back. The margin — an innings and 262 runs — still stands as one of the most one-sided results in recent memory.

Overall India vs Afghanistan Test Head to Head

Matches	India Wins	Afghanistan Wins	Draws	India % Win
1	1	0	0	100

The numbers remain simple because the sample stays small. India has played just one previous Test against Afghanistan. That single result continues to shape expectations eight years later.

The 2018 Bengaluru Test: Complete Domination

June 14-15, 2018. Afghanistan’s debut in the longest format. India posted 474 and finished the job inside two days. Afghanistan managed 109 in their first innings and 103 after being asked to follow on. The game ended before tea on day two.

Team	Score	Key Notes
India 1st innings	474 all out (104.5 overs)	Declared after massive total; openers added 168
Afghanistan 1st innings	109 all out (27.5 overs)	Collapsed inside 28 overs
Afghanistan 2nd innings (follow-on)	103 all out (38.4 overs)	Jadeja claimed four wickets

Shikhar Dhawan announced himself with a century before lunch on day one — 107 off 96 balls with 19 fours and three sixes. He became the first Indian and only the sixth player ever to reach three figures before the interval on the opening day of a Test. Murali Vijay matched him with 105. Hardik Pandya chipped in 71. The middle order kept the scoreboard moving at more than four an over.

India’s spinners then took over. Ravichandran Ashwin finished with match figures of 5 for 59. Ravindra Jadeja claimed 6 for 35 across both innings. Umesh Yadav picked up four wickets and reached his 100th Test scalp during the match. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, on Test debut, returned 2 for 154. The visitors simply had no answer to the quality and variety on a wearing surface.

What the Numbers Reveal

India’s batting depth overwhelmed Afghanistan from ball one. The 168-run opening stand between Dhawan and Vijay set a tone Afghanistan never recovered from. Their bowlers leaked runs at over four an over while India’s attack conceded less than three. The follow-on decision proved academic — Afghanistan lasted barely 66 overs across both innings combined.

For Afghanistan, the match represented a steep learning curve. Several players made their Test debuts. The experience of facing Ashwin and Jadeja on a turning pitch became part of their education. Hashmatullah Shahidi top-scored in the second innings with an unbeaten 36, showing glimpses of the resilience that would define his later career.

Looking Ahead to Mullanpur 2026

The rematch arrives under very different circumstances. Afghanistan now carries eight years of Test experience. They have played 11 Tests overall and secured wins against teams including Ireland and Bangladesh. Their squad includes battle-hardened players who have faced quality spin and pace across Asia and beyond.

India, meanwhile, hands the captaincy to Shubman Gill for this fixture. The side mixes proven performers with players eager to stamp their authority on home soil. Rishabh Pant returns to the longer format with momentum from recent performances. The new Mullanpur venue adds an unknown element — a fresh pitch and a crowd ready to create an atmosphere that matches the occasion.

Expect India to lean on their superior depth and home advantage once again. Afghanistan will look to extend sessions, build partnerships, and perhaps exploit any early movement or variable bounce the new surface offers. The gap has narrowed in white-ball cricket. In the Test arena, India remains the clear benchmark.

The 2018 result still casts a long shadow. Yet cricket moves forward. When the first ball is bowled at Mullanpur on June 6, both teams will write the next chapter of this head-to-head story. India carries the weight of history. Afghanistan carries the hunger to change it.