India and Afghanistan faced each other in Test cricket for only the second time but the result was never really in doubt. India completely dominated the match, defeating Afghanistan within three days and recording the biggest innings victory in their Test history. While the victory itself was expected, Afghanistan’s disappointing batting display has once again raised questions about their readiness for the longest format of the game.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal strongly criticised Afghanistan’s participation in Test cricket following the one-sided contest. Afghanistan received Test status from the ICC in 2017 and played their first Test match against India in 2018. That game also ended in an innings defeat for Afghanistan and lasted less than two days.
Reacting to the latest result, Madan Lal questioned the criteria used to grant Test status to emerging nations. He argued that success in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals should not automatically qualify a team for Test cricket.
Pointing to Afghanistan’s batting struggles, Madan Lal noted that they managed scores of just 152 and 112 in the recent match. He also highlighted that in their previous Test against India eight years ago, they were bowled out for 109 and 102. According to him, such performances do little to promote the appeal and competitiveness of Test cricket.
Despite these concerns, Afghanistan have shown significant progress in limited-overs cricket. Since making their Test debut, they have played 14 matches and won four of them. Their victories include two against Bangladesh and one against Zimbabwe and Ireland each.
Madan Lal believes Afghanistan should focus more on ODI and T20 cricket, where they have already established themselves as a competitive side. In his view, the team still needs to develop the skills and experience required to succeed consistently in Test cricket.
He also pointed out that playing five-day cricket requires strong infrastructure, facilities and a well-developed domestic system. According to Madan Lal, Afghanistan currently lacks many of these resources, making it difficult for players to adapt to the demands of the format despite their talent.
However, former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim offered a different perspective. He urged critics to be patient and argued that Afghanistan have not had enough opportunities to grow as a Test-playing nation.
Saba Karim drew comparisons with Bangladesh, which also struggled in Test cricket during the first decade and a half after receiving Test status in 2000. He noted that Bangladesh have since improved significantly and even secured a memorable Test series victory over Pakistan in Pakistan. Saba Karim believes Afghanistan deserve similar time and support, especially considering the challenges faced by the war-affected nation.
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