India vs Afghanistan: Five key announcements made by Ajit Agarkar that pleased some, disappointed others

Ajit Agarkar and Devajit Saikia unveiled bold India squads with debutants, heartbreaks and a big Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hint.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Test and ODI squads for the upcoming contests against Afghanistan. India will play a one-off Test match against Afghanistan, starting June 6at the PCA New Stadium in Tira. This game will not be part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. The visitors will also stay back for a three-match ODI series against India, to be held between June 14 and 20 in Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai, respectively.

BCCI announced the Test and ODI squad for the Afghanistan series on Tuesday (PTI)

Chief selectors Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia named the two squads after a two-hour meeting in Guwahati. While the announcement saw numerous young faces earn maiden call-ups, there were a few disappointments and heartbreaks, along with an unmissable remark about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Here are Agarkar's five major selection calls -

No Mohammed Shami: The senior fast bowler has not played for India since the 2025 Champions Trophy, which was an ODI tournament. In Tests, the timeline stretches back further to 2023. He struggled with an injury after the 2023 ODI World Cup that sidelined him across formats. He waited. He recovered. But the selectors reckoned he wasn't ready yet. He sought the domestic route, but injury derailed him yet again in 2024, before a comeback to the ODI squad in early 2025. Shami returned to the domestic grind, picking 47 wickets in 16 matches across the 2025/26 season, including 20 in the Ranji Trophy, 16 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and 11 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. But those numbers still did not convince the selectors. In fact, by Agarkar's own admission, he never came up in discussion for a spot in the one-off Test against Afghanistan.

"As far as we have been told that at this point...his body is allowing him to play, I know he has played a domestic season this season. But from the information that I have got, it's T20 cricket that he's ready for. So there was no discussion regarding him," he said during the virtual presser on Tuesday.

Pant demoted: Rishabh Pant perhaps received the most brutal blow after the announcement. Not only was he stripped of vice-captaincy in Test cricket, but he also lost his spot in the ODI squad. While KL Rahul took over the role in Test cricket, Ishan Kishan was handed Pant's spot in ODIs.

"KL has been Test captain before," Agarkar noted. "Obviously, Rishabh was vice-captain and we wanted him to be the best batter he can... So, no, there's no reason [for the change in vice-captaincy]. That's the best option we think at this point we have as far as vice-captain with experience [is concerned]."

Sooryavanshi push: The 15-year-old has been the talk of the town, and his IPL heroics were rewarded with a spot in the India A squad for the upcoming one-day tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. That put him one closer to the dream India moment that every fan, every expert has been talking about. But was he discussed? Probably, indicated Agarkar, but sharply reminded that it might be yet too soon for an ODI inclusion with Yashasvi Jaiswal too part of the set-up as a back-up opener. But BCCI remains hopeful that Sooryavanshi can turn things around in the India A series.

"We picked him for the A team. Young, so much promise. We will give them the exposure. Yashavi Jaiswal is part of ODI setup too. As impressive as Sooryavanshi has been, others have done well too. Very excited with him. Hopefully, he shows it when he travels with the A team," he said.

Hardik-Rohit injuries: The two Mumbai Indians players have been picked in the ODI squad, but Saikia revealed their participation is subject to fitness clearance. The all-rounder suffered a back spasm during the ongoing IPL 2026 season and missed the last three matches. Rohit, on the other hand, has played only seven games this season, having picked up a right hamstring injury early in the season against RCB, and has largely featured as an Impact Player.

Youngsters rewarded: Not one but several young cricketers have been rewarded for their domestic performances. With an eye on the ODI World Cup in 2027, fast bowlers Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar and left-arm orthodox spin-bowling allrounder Harsh Dubey were handed their maiden call-ups in the format. The latter two have also been included in the Test squad, along with fellow left-arm spinner Manav Suthar

Suthar has taken 129 wickets in 29 first-class matches at an average of 25.76. He impressed for India A against South Africa A and also starred for Rest of India in the Irani Cup with five wickets and an unbeaten 56. Brar, 6 feet 6 inches tall Punjab speedster, has played 18 first-class and nine List A matches. He picked up 11 wickets for Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and was the joint-highest wicket-taker in India A’s four-day games against Australia A with eight scalps. Prince grabbed attention after dismissing Virat Kohli in the IPL. He was also his team’s leading wicket-taker and the fifth-highest overall in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 18 wickets in eight matches.