Shafiqullah Stanikzai, CEO of Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), has said that if given a choice he would like Afghanistan’s Test debut to be against India.

Speaking to India’s Deccan Chronicle, Stanikzai said: ““India has been so supportive of our growth as a cricket nation. I think I can say this on behalf of all Afghans that facing India at the Eden Gardens will be the perfect way for us to start life as a Test nation,” he said.

This interview came after recent reports indicated that Afghanistan could soon be given Test status.

At an ICC board meeting recently, the decision was taken to contemplate large-scale changes in cricket, which could mean Afghanistan, an Associate member, could soon be given Full Member status.

At the meeting, the ICC did however grant Afghanistan’s Ahmad Shah Abdali cup, which is a regional four-day cricket tournament, First-Class statues.

Stanikzai said in his interview: “First-class status for the tournament means the players have an added motivation to perform even better and for us also to improve the quality of grounds, umpires and coaching standards and prepare to be a Test nation,” said Stanikzai.

Speaking to the Indian Express he said: “It justifies and validates all the hard work we’ve put in and all the challenges we have overcome to get here.”

“We’ve been the most consistent Associate team in recent times. Our record in first-class cricket is outstanding. We have lost only one out of our 19 matches in the Intercontinental Cup,” he said.

Afghanistan has been lauded in cricket circles around the world for having come so far in a relatively short period of time and regularly qualify for ICC tournaments and have managed to defeat higher ranking sides like Zimbabwe and even West Indies, the eventual winners of the T20 World Cup last year.