For Team India, this one-off Test against Afghanistan is a dress rehearsal for their tougher assignments ahead in the remainder of their World Test Championship campaign.
On Day I of the Test — not part of the current WTC cycle — India’s batsmen tried to make the most of the batting-friendly conditions in a hot and humid Mullanpur. A penetration-less Afghanistan bowling also helped to pile up 368/3 at Stumps.
After KL Rahul registered his 12th Test hundred and No.3 Sai Sudharsan fell 19 short of his century, skipper Shubman Gill (103 batting) recorded a fluent century. He also stitched an unbeaten 121-run stand for the fourth wicket with Rishabh Pant, who found some relief with a half-century following a harrowing time in the IPL in Lucknow Super Giants colours.
Against a team that plays very few Tests, most of the Indian cricketers’ task against Afghanistan on Saturday was more about switching to the Test format after a gruelling two-and-a-half months of the IPL.
In conditions that weren’t easy on the fielding side, India won a good toss and utilised it fully. Barring Rahul’s opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, who couldn’t have fun out there in the middle as he was caught down the leg-side.
Not just penetration, but the Afghan bowlers even lacked experience, which made scoring easier for Rahul, Sudharsan, Gill and Pant. That the visitors battled inexperience was evident when they missed out on taking the DRS after Rahul had clearly edged one to the wicketkeeper off Ziaur Rahman’s bowling, but acted as if he hadn’t nicked it.
The incident took place early in the first session. Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi didn’t go for the review even after Rahmanullah Gurbaz, at the slip cordon, pleaded with him to go for the review.
Replays showed a clear edge, as the Afghans could only rue that reprieve to Rahul, who ensured to cash in on the let-off.
Even Sudharsan edged twice outside off-stump, and the visitors failed to catch them.