No Ashwin or Jadeja but Kuldeep backs India's new spin unit for Mullanpur Test

Key points

• The upcoming one-off Test match between India and Afghanistan in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, marks the dawn of a fascinating new era for the home side.
• For the first time in over fifteen years, an Indian Test team will take to the field on home soil without their two legendary spin stalwarts, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
• Ashwin called time on his illustrious career midway through the intense Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour in Australia during the 2024-25 season.
• Meanwhile, Jadeja has been ruled out of this particular fixture due to an unfortunate injury sustained during the recently concluded Indian Premier League season.
• To find the last time India played a home Test without either icon, one has to travel back to November 2010 against New Zealand in Nagpur, a match where Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha led the spin department.