Whatever unfolds at the Chinnaswamy Stadium over the next five days (or less), one thing is guaranteed — the Afghanistan cricket team will be a winner all the way. They have braved bomb blasts, occasionally lost near and dear ones, stayed away from what they call home for months together, if not years, and yet here they are, all set to compete in a Test match — the ultimate format in the game and against the World No. 1 Test side. None of this is lost on the Ajinkya Rahane-led Indians.

But once on the field after the initial formalities of ushering in Afghanistan as the 12th Test playing nation are done by Rahane & Co., this will be another Test match, one that just has to be won. Rahane, who often finds himself in the piquant situation of either being the captain or out of the playing XI, said as much at the official press conference. They will not take the Test lightly and in fact will be ruthless, he said.