Ravindra Jadeja Afghanistan Test

Why Ravindra Jadeja Is Not Picked in India Squad For Afghanistan Test Match?

Sportsdunia Desk

Modified - May 19, 2026, 02:34 PM

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India’s squad for the upcoming Afghanistan series was officially announced by the BCCI on May 19, Tuesday, with selectors naming teams for both the one-off Test and the three-match ODI series in June, scheduled to begin on June 6.

While senior stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to the ODI setup, a few notable names were missing from the squads. Ravindra Jadeja emerged as one of the biggest absentees, alongside Jasprit Bumrah, as the selectors also handed opportunities to fresh faces like Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar.

Why Ravindra Jadeja Was Not Picked For Afghanistan Series?

Ravindra Jadeja Afghanistan Test absence was a big talking point given his importance in India's Test team. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that Jadeja had simply been rested and remains a vital part of India’s plans, especially in the Test format.

“He (Jadeja) is still an integral part of the team. With regards to ODIs, with 15-16 months left, we want to try and assess what our options are keeping in mind conditions in South Africa are. We know what Jadeja and Axar can do. with regards to test, he still remains no 1 spinner." Agarkar told reporters in a virtual interaction.

Interestingly, the star all-rounder also missed Rajasthan Royals’ recent IPL 2026 clash against the Delhi Capitals. Skipper Riyan Parag revealed the reason during the toss that Jadeja was rested as part of workload management.

Ravindra Jadeja’s Excellent Numbers In Tests

Despite Ravindra Jadeja workload management, he continues to remain one of India’s most dependable performers in the longest format. The veteran cricketer is one of the best all-rounders in the world having played 89 Tests for India, scoring 4095 runs at an average of 38.27, including six centuries and 24 half-centuries. With the ball, Jadeja has picked up 348 wickets at an impressive average of 25.11, alongside 15 five-wicket hauls.

Jadeja also remains the No. 1-ranked Test all-rounder in the latest ICC rankings, underlining his value to the Indian side. During India’s 2025 England tour, he was among the standout performers, scoring 516 runs in the series, including a century and multiple fifties. He can contribute crucial runs in the lower order with his solid batting and is more than useful with the ball.