• Source:JND

KL Rahul and Shubman Gill played classy centuries as India took full control on the opening day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur on Saturday. Their efforts helped India reach 368 for 3, putting the opposition under pressure early in the match.

Rahul scored 100 off 165 balls, showing patience and solid defence, while captain Gill played a more attacking knock, making 103 not out off 143 balls. The two batters showed different styles but were equally effective against an Afghan bowling attack that tried hard but struggled for consistency.

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Gill looked in complete control at the crease, playing with ease and timing. He struck 11 fours and a six and barely seemed troubled during his stay at the wicket. In his 41st Test, this was his 11th Test hundred, adding another strong performance to his growing record as captain.

Sai Sudharsan also played a useful knock of 81 off 104 balls but missed out on a century despite getting a couple of chances early in his innings. Rishabh Pant added quick runs with an unbeaten half-century, hitting three sixes in his 70-ball stay.

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India are expected to bat for a short period on day two before declaring and bringing their spinners into play. The pitch is expected to assist spin as the match progresses, and the game may not go the full distance.

For Afghanistan, Mohammad Saleem was the most successful bowler with 2 wickets for 67 runs, while Ziaur Rahman impressed with his effort and picked up one wicket in 15 overs. He also could have dismissed Rahul early, but a missed appeal from the wicketkeeper cost them a key chance.

Rahul made full use of that lifeline and went on to reach his century, playing elegant cover drives, straight drives, and on-drives as part of his 11-boundary innings.

After Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for 24, Rahul and Sudharsan built a strong 139-run partnership for the second wicket. Sudharsan batted confidently against the pacers but was eventually dismissed when he went for an ambitious shot and was caught behind.

Rahul’s innings ended soon after reaching his hundred when he attempted an attacking shot and was caught at cover.

The most entertaining part of the day came when Gill and Pant were batting together. The pair added 121 runs for the fourth wicket and kept the scoreboard moving with ease. Gill’s strokeplay, especially his pull shots and cover drives, stood out, while Pant played his natural aggressive game.

Afghanistan’s bowling unit struggled to contain the Indian batting line-up. Their spinners, in particular, found it difficult to control the flow of runs as India’s batters rotated strike well and kept finding boundaries throughout the day.

Brief scores: India: 368/3 in 85 overs (Shubman Gill 103 batting, KL Rahul 100, Rishabh Pant 50 batting, Sai Sudharsan 81; Mohammed Saleem 2/67).


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