India cricket team pacer Mohammed Siraj is unlikely to take part in the one-off Test against Afghanistan after a long IPL 2026 season. The Hyderabad pacer has been on the road for two months, having featured in all of Gujarat Titans’ matches in the season. As per reports, a call on Siraj will be taken by the team management in the next 48 overs, with Auqib Nabi emerging as the frontrunner to replace him the squad, should the former be rested.
Siraj likely to be rested, Nabi asked to be on standby
As per the Times of India, the BCCI medical staff are closely monitoring Siraj, who has joined the Team India camp in New Chandigarh ahead of the one-off Test against AFG that begins on June 5. A source told the publication that if the selectors decide to rest Siraj, then Nabi could earn his much-deserved maiden Team India call-up for the one-off Test. The report states that while the pacer will continued to be assessed, a final call on his inclusion in the Test will be taken in 48 hours.
“Siraj has had a long season and If he is rested, there is a bright possibility Gurnoor will play and Nabi will come into the squad,” a source told the publication.
Siraj featured in all the 17 matches that GT played in IPL 2026, including the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He picked up 19 wickets in 17 matches, at an average of 29.57. Prior to the IPL, the fast-bowler was a part of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, after he was named as a last-minute replacement for an injured Harshit Rana.
The one-off Test against AFG isn’t a part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. One of the primary reasons as to why Siraj was initially named in the squad was because Jasprit Bumrah has been rested and the rest of the Indian pace battery is largely inexperienced.
Despite picking up 60 wickets in the last Ranji Trophy season, Jammu and Kashmir’s Auqib Nabi did not find a place in the squad for the one-off Test. His exclusion did not sit well with critics and former cricketers, who targeted the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for ignoring performers in domestic cricket and using performances in IPL as a yardstick to pick the Test team.
In an attempt to get on the right path, Nabi – along with five others – was asked to join the Team India camp in Chandigarh as a net bowler to help the side prepare for the one-off Test. Other net bowlers for the game include Gurjapneet Singh, Prince Yadav, Saransh Jain, Zeeshan Ansari and Shivang Kumar.
India’s squad for one-off Test vs Afghanistan
Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper)
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