India-Afghanistan one-off Test will hinge on how batters tackle spin bowling: Pybus

Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus on Friday said the course of the one-off Test against India starting here on Saturday will be decided by how batters from both the teams tackle the spin challenge.

India and Afghanistan will face off here on Saturday in what will only be their second ever Test in history, having played another one-off game in Bengaluru in June 2018.

That game was won by India inside two days.

"The Mullanpur pitch, for how long grass cover can hold the pitch (together) and how well both sides play with spin bowling playing huge part, will decide (the course of the Test)," Pybus told the reporters here on the eve of the Test.

Afghanistan will be without their star spinner Rashid Khan who has been rested to manage his workload and also prolong his white-ball availability.

The right-arm spinner had featured in the Indian Premier League campaign for the Gujarat Titans where the team reached the final.

Pybus said Rashid has had a long-standing back related.

"Rashid Khan has a long standing back problem but I will have conversations with him if there is any potential to play some red-ball cricket," Pybus said.

Having taken charge from fellow Englishman Jonathan Trott, Pybus said he has spoken with the former middle-order batter on Afghan cricket.

"I had a chat with Jonathan Trott to understand his journey and congratulated him for developing a side," Pybus said.