Team India’s Next Test: Two Tough Challenges Await After Home Series Defeat

India faced a crushing defeat against South Africa in the two-match home Test series, with the visitors completing a clean sweep. This marks only the third time in history that a team has whitewashed India on home soil, and the second occurrence within just 12 months—the previous instance being New Zealand’s series win in October–November last year.

When Is India’s Next Test?
The Indian cricket team will have to wait for several months before its next Test match, as the focus now shifts to the T20 World Cup scheduled in February–March 2026. India’s next Test will take place in June 2026, when Afghanistan tours for a single Test match. This match, however, will not be part of the ICC World Test Championship, and the BCCI is yet to announce the full schedule.

Tough Tours Ahead
Following the Afghanistan Test, India faces two challenging away tours as part of the World Test Championship cycle:

• Sri Lanka (August 2026): India will play a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, where spin-friendly pitches will favor bowlers adept at turn.
• New Zealand (October–November 2026): India will play another two-Test series on the grass-heavy pitches of New Zealand, a notoriously difficult venue for batting. India last won a Test series in New Zealand in 2009; in the 2020 tour, India lost 2–0, managing only a single score above 200 in four innings despite a lineup featuring Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rishabh Pant.

Border-Gavaskar Trophy Awaiting in 2027
The beginning of 2027 will see Australia touring India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a five-match Test series scheduled between January and February, promising another stern challenge for the Indian team.

With consecutive home defeats and demanding tours on the horizon, Team India faces a critical period that will test its consistency, resilience, and bench strength.