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- IND vs AFG Highlights, One-Off Test Match Day 3: India register biggest-ever victory, beat Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs
IND vs AFG Highlights, One-Off Test Match Day 3: India register biggest-ever victory, beat Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs
After being bowled out for 152 in reply to India's 564 for 8 declared, Afghanistan were forced to follow on but collapsed again for just 112 midway through the third day. Washington Sundar exploited the visitors' reckless approach brilliantly to return 4 for 36, while Kuldeep Yadav also enjoyed some success with figures of 3 for 30.
Suthar's debut could prove to be the most significant development for Indian cricket. With Ravichandran Ashwin already retired and Ravindra Jadeja nearing the latter stages of his Test career, the 23-year-old showcased the qualities needed to carry India's spin legacy forward. His accuracy, ability to impart heavy revolutions and knack of extracting turn and bounce from a docile track impressed throughout the match.
He became the 10th Indian bowler and seventh spinner to take a five-wicket haul on debut, underlining the magnitude of his achievement. The sparse crowd present on Monday morning witnessed the arrival of a promising new spin star.
Afghanistan's resistance was limited to veteran Rahmat Shah, who became the first batter from his country to reach 1,000 Test runs during his first-innings 60. However, a combination of inexperience and questionable shot selection ensured the visitors were no match for India's disciplined spin attack as the hosts completed another emphatic victory over the Afghans.
- Afsar Zazai 4 (12)
- Azmatullah Omarzai 0 (0)
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Suthar starts the third session with a maiden. Gives it a bit of air, full and around off. Zazai lunges to defend it off.
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Pushed through, full and on middle. Kept out watchfully by Afsar Zazai.
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Serves it on a length, on the off stump, Zazai gets behind the line for the block.
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Slows it down now, fuller and on off. Afsar gets forward to smother the spin.
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Drags the length back a bit, on the off stump. Zazai stabs it down.
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Starts with a full ball, drifting in, on middle and leg. Afsar Zazai is solid in defence.
Welcome back for what could be the final session of the game. Azmatullah Omarzai has joined Afsar Zazai out in the middle. Manav Suthar will start the attack for India. Zazai is on strike. Let's go...
... DAY 3, SESSION 3 ...
Final session beckons - This match is rapidly moving toward a Day 3 finish unless the Afghan batters value their wickets and drastically rectify their shot selection. The big question ahead of the final session is whether India can scalp the remaining 5 wickets to wrap up an innings victory on Day 3, or if Afghanistan can bat out of their skin to drag this contest into Day 4. Join us again as the final session of Day 3 resumes at 2.30 pm IST (9 am GMT).
Spin twins suffocate Afghanistan’s resistance - India’s spin department is yet again proving to be the undoing of the Afghan batting line-up, with Washington Sundar orchestrating the demolition this time. Sundar was the standout performer of the session, scalping three vital wickets, one of which was of Sediqullah Atal right at the stroke of Tea. Kuldeep Yadav has also provided the crucial breakthrough of Gurbaz. While the Afghan batters attempted to fight back with an aggressive, proactive approach, their high-risk strategy backfired heavily against India's world-class spin duo.
India tighten their grip - The afternoon session of Day 3 saw India firmly cement their dominance, systematically breaking down Afghanistan's resistance after enforcing the follow-on. Though the Indian bowlers leaked a few boundaries to a counter-attacking approach, they successfully traded runs for wickets. By picking three crucial breakthroughs during the session, the hosts dismantled any hopes of a steady top-order partnership. India’s relentless pressure left the visitors completely exposed.
TEA ON DAY 3 - As the players head in for Tea, Afghanistan find themselves in a precarious position at 98 for 5 after 29 overs, still trailing the hosts by 314 runs. In the grand context of this Test match, the visitors are fighting a desperate race against the inevitable, as the stark gulf in class between the two sides remains on full display. In Test cricket, wickets are the ultimate currency, and by spending them too quickly, Afghanistan have left themselves needing a sporting miracle.
- Sediqullah Atal 42 (80)
- Afsar Zazai 4 (6)
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, OUT! TAKEN! What have you done, Sediq? That will be the cry from the Afghan fans. Field up, and he could not resist himself on the last ball of the session. Tossed up by Sundar, not that full to hit through the line, on middle. Sediqullah Atal gives himself a bit of room and swings through the line to go down the ground with a straight bat. He fails to get to the pitch of the ball, and there is just enough away turn to catch the outer half of the blade. It balloons towards backward point, where Prasidh Krishna takes a dolly. Atal stands there in disbelief before starting to make the long walk back. Afghanistan are now 98/5, trailing by 314 runs in their second effort.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, A prolonged appeal for LBW! Nothing doing, says the umpire. Flatter and shorter, around off. Sediqullah Atal hops back to make the leave. Gets rapped on the pads but the ball is not darting in enough to hit the stumps.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Back to around the wicket, slower through the air, tossed up, on off. Sediqullah Atal lunges for the block.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Across the batter again, no turn. Atal is solid in defence.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, From over the wicket now, across off, on a length. Atal dead bats it.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Sliding on, very full, on middle. Sediqullah Atal squeezes it out.
- Afsar Zazai 4 (6)
- Sediqullah Atal 42 (74)
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Drifting in, on middle and leg. Zazai pushes it back to the bowler.
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, A bit slower and on a good length, on middle. This is solidly defended by Afsar.
Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Goes past the bat! At 88.1 kph, full and on the off pole. Afsar Zazai gets on the front foot but the ball lands and rips past the outside edge.
Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Full and quick, on off, Atal brings out the reverse and plays it down to deep backward point. They cross.
Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Tosses it up now, fuller and on off. Sediqullah Atal reaches out to smother the spin.
Manav Suthar replaces Kuldeep Yadav.
Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Short and on middle from over the wicket. Atal taps it to the left of the bowler from the crease.
- Afsar Zazai 4 (3)
- Sediqullah Atal 41 (71)
Washington Sundar to Afsar Zazai, Pushed through, very full, on off. Afsar Zazai digs it out.
Washington Sundar to Afsar Zazai, A confident shout for LBW, but turned down. Washington Sundar is pretty convinced, and he runs up to the skipper to plead his case. Shubman Gill also has a word with Rishabh Pant before sending this upstairs. Spinning back in and the length is pulled back a bit, on a length, on off. Zazai gets a good stride in for the block but fails to smother the spin. It turns back to go past the inside edge and hits the batter on the back thigh. No bat involved, but the Ball Tracking has the ball bouncing over the stumps. India have now only one review left.
Washington Sundar to Afsar Zazai, FOUR! Afsar Zazai is up and running. Tossed up, on off, Zazai shimmies downs the track and lofts it to the right of mid off for a boundary to get going.
Is that a fair take? Shubman Gill is sure about that, but the batter is still not moving as he is a bit susceptible to it. The replay shows that it will be touch and go. After several replays, the TV umpire confirms that this was a fair catch.
Washington Sundar to Hashmatullah Shahidi, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! A good, low grab by the Indian skipper to send his Afghan counterpart back in the hut. From around the wicket, flat and short, around the off stump. Hashmatullah Shahidi has a poke at the ball from the crease. The ball spins away a bit to catch the outside edge. It dies on Shubman Gill at first slip, who manages to get low quickly and gets his hands out in front to take the catch. The third umpire is summoned for a check. The replays confirm that the catch has been taken cleanly with Gill ensuring that he got his hands under the ball. Afghanistan are 4 down for 93 in their second effort, trailing by 319 runs.
Washington Sundar to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Fuller and angled in, on middle. Hashmatullah Shahidi pushes it to the left of the bowler.
Washington Sundar to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Short and on middle. Hashmatullah Shahidi hurriedly drops his ba down on the ball.
- Hashmatullah Shahidi 5 (7)
- Sediqullah Atal 41 (71)
Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Fine stop! Fuller and on off, Hashmatullah Shahidi drives it wide of cover. Nitish Kumar Reddy dives to his right and makes the stop.
Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, What has happened here? Shubman Gill has gone for the review with a second left on the timer. A couple of things to be looked at here. The two umpires get together to ask the Indians what the review is for because the ball had got stuck somewhere in the body before the silly point fielder went up to the batter to grab hold of the ball. Kuldeep drops it short, it is the googly that spins back in sharply, on off. Hashmatullah Shahidi lets it go, expecting the ball to turn away from him. It turns back a long way to catch Shahidi on the forearm. The Ball Tracking shows that the ball would have gone over the stumps. India lose their 1st review.
Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Very full, on off. Hashmatullah Shahidi squeezes it out to the right of the bowler.
Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Beaten! Looped up, full and outside off. Hashmatullah goes hard on the drive but is beaten by the turn.
Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Drags the length back now, on middle. Shahidi pushes at the ball with slightly hard hands. It drops away from the silly point fielder to his left.
Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, FOUR! Hashmatullah Shahidi is off the mark. Flighted up in line with the off stump. Shahidi gets down on a knee and rolls his wrists over the ball to sweep it through square leg for a boundary.
- Sediqullah Atal 41 (71)
- Hashmatullah Shahidi 0 (1)
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Stays on the shorter side, over off. Atal jabs it to mid-wicket.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Shorter and on off. Sediqullah Atal hangs back to keep it out.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, At the sticks, on a length, that is defended solidly off the front foot.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Oh, risky option taken by Atal. Darted in full by Sundar, on off and middle. Sediqullah steps inside the line for the fine sweep. He takes it on the full and plays it to short fine leg.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Pushed through quicker, on off. Atal blocks it off.
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, An absolute beauty! Drifting in from around the wicket, landing on a length, on off. Sediqullah Atal presses forward but the ball lands and straightens to go past the outside edge with a bit of extra bounce.
- Hashmatullah Shahidi 0 (1)
- Sediqullah Atal 41 (65)
Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Floated up there, on middle. Hashmatullah Shahidi smothers the spin by getting forward.
Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Fuller and attacking the front pad. Atal lunges for the block. The ball goes away off the inside edge, past short leg for a single.
Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Half a shout for caught behind but turned down. The appeal dies down quickly. Googly from Kuldeep, shorter and turning down leg. Atal misses out on the tickle and it is gathered well by Rishabh Pant by moving to his right.
Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Spins away again, on a nagging length. Sediqullah lets it be.
Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Turning away, on a good length, Sediqullah Atal makes the leave.
Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Around the pads, full in length. Sediqullah Atal tucks it on the leg side.
Afghanistan, who were dismissed for 152 in the first innings, fared even worse after being asked to follow on and were shot out for 112 in just 35.5 overs. Washington Sundar starred in the second innings with 4 for 36, while Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with 3 for 30.
Suthar became only the 10th Indian bowler and seventh spinner from the country to claim a five-wicket haul on Test debut. More importantly, he provided encouraging signs that India have a ready successor waiting in the wings as Ravindra Jadeja approaches the twilight of his red-ball career.
The young spinner's ability to repeatedly hit the same area, generate sharp revolutions and extract both bounce and turn from an otherwise placid surface marked him out as a bowler capable of succeeding at the highest level. While sterner challenges await, particularly on the upcoming Sri Lanka tour, Suthar's impressive initiation could allow India to gradually plan for life after Jadeja.
Afghanistan's batters, meanwhile, struggled with both skill and temperament. Poor shot selection hastened their downfall in the second innings, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah among those who perished attempting ambitious strokes. India thus eclipsed their previous best innings victory margin against Afghanistan, which came in 2018 when they won by an innings and 262 runs.
Match Statistics
Venue
Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur
