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- IND vs AFG Highlights, One-Off Test Match Day 1: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul hit centuries as India finish at 368/3 at Stumps
IND vs AFG Highlights, One-Off Test Match Day 1: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul hit centuries as India finish at 368/3 at Stumps
Rahul (100 off 165 balls) showed the value of defence while skipper Gill (103 batting off 143 balls) was intent-personified on a day when India decided to give a batting masterclass in Tests to an Afghanistan attack that was high on spirit but low on skill quotient.
The manner in which Gill batted, it seemed like he was playing a practice game.
The languid approach and the lazy elegance was on view as he held an already tired Afghan attack by the scruff of its neck, hitting 11 fours and a straight six. In his 41st Test, the Indian skipper now has 11 centuries.
The one who would rue missing out on a three figure mark is Sai Sudharsan (81 off 104 balls) despite getting two reprieves while Rishabh Pant was happy smashing three effortless sixes en route his unbeaten half-century off just 70 balls.
It is unlikely that India would bat more than a session and half on the second day before declaration and unleashing their spin troika on Afghanistan.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Rishabh Pant, Fuller and down leg, Pant helps it towards short fine leg and gets to the other end.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Rishabh Pant, Drifting in at the pads, on a good length. Pant presses back and nurdles it to square leg.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Rishabh Pant, Looped up, fuller and on middle. Rishabh keeps it out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Rishabh Pant, Short and on the off stump. Pant taps it back to the bowler.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Shubman Gill, A rank long hop, on off. Shubman Gill drags the pull to deep mid-wicket for a run.
- Shubman Gill 67 (88)
- Rishabh Pant 26 (29)
Nangeyalia Kharote to Shubman Gill, Speared in now, full and on off. Gill works it down to long off and picks up a single.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Shubman Gill, Attacking the front pad from around the wicket. Shubman Gill reaches out in front for the block.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Shubman Gill, Flat and short, on off. Gill cuts it straight to backward point.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Shubman Gill, This keeps a bit low, fuller and on middle. Shubman plays it back to the bowler.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Rishabh Pant, Shorter and on the pads. Pant works it with the spin behind square leg for a run.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Shubman Gill, Short and on middle, Gill pushes it down to long on for a single.
- Rishabh Pant 25 (28)
- Shubman Gill 65 (83)
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, around off, Rishabh Pant dead bats it.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, NO BALL! Full and on off, Pant blocks this one. The siren goes around to indicate that the bowler has overstepped.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, SIX! This is what Pant does to a bowler. Abdul was bowling fine before this over, but one stroke from Pant made him rethink his length, and the rest is 18 runs off this over in total, with a ball to spare. The 300 is up for India.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, SIX! Pant's engine room is just warming up. Juicy full toss, around shin high, Pant shimmies down the track and slogs this over the fence towards the deep mid-wicket region for six more. 96th six in Tests for Rishabh, and he now has the most sixes for an Indian in Test cricket, according to Abhinav Mukund. The 50-run stand also comes up between this pair.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, Full and on middle and off, Rishabh Pant dead bats it.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, Fired into the batter, Pant rocks back and blocks this out.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, SIX! Finally, the shackles have been broken by Pant. Tossed up, around off, Rishabh Pant shimmies down the track, gets close to the pitch of the ball and smashes this up and over the long on fence for a biggie.
- Rishabh Pant 7 (21)
- Shubman Gill 65 (83)
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, A touch fuller and on the pads, Pant milks this through square leg for a single.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, On a length, around off, Rishabh Pant blocks this towards covers.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Full and drifting way down the leg. Pant goes for a flick but misses out.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Ziaur bowls it in the channel, around off. Pant looks to block this off his front foot but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Short and around off, Pant cuts this off the upper half off his bat to point.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Good length, down the leg side. Pant leaves it.
- Rishabh Pant 6 (15)
- Shubman Gill 65 (83)
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, Fuller into the batter, Pant rolls this down to long on for one.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, around off, Rishabh Pant thumps this towards the bowler. Shouts of catch it from the keeper but the bowler drops it. Replay shows that it was a bump ball and it was not a chance.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, NO BALL! Full and on middle and off, Pant blocks this out. The siren goes around again. Malik has overstepped for the second ball in a row.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, NO BALL! Tossed up, around off, Pant plays down the wrong line and gets beaten on the outside edge. A loud appeal for caught behind but the umpire turns it down. It wouldn't have mattered as the siren goes off to signal that Abdul has overstepped.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, Tossed up, around off, Pant blocks this out.
Abdul Malik to Rishabh Pant, Fuller around off, Rishabh Pant presses onto his front foot, plays this with soft hands and the ball goes away from the outer portion of his bat through the left of the first slip fielder for a couple.
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Slightly short of a length, on middle and leg, Shubman Gill pulls this through square leg for one.
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Tossed up, on the pads, Shubman Gill flicks this to square leg.
- Rishabh Pant 3 (9)
- Shubman Gill 64 (81)
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Hard length, around off, Rishabh Pant blocks this off his front foot towards covers.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Good length, on off, Rishabh Pant blocks this towards the mid-wicket region.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Hard length, around off, Pant blocks this off his front foot. Pant is not just swinging his bat and the presser from India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate before the game hinted exactly that.
Ziaur Rahman to Shubman Gill, Back of a length, around off, Gill guides this to the deep third man region for one.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Short and around the left armpit of the batter. Rishabh Pant tucks this through square leg and rotates the strike.
Ziaur Rahman to Shubman Gill, Short and wide of off, Shubman Gill guides this to the left of point and takes one.
- Shubman Gill 62 (79)
- Rishabh Pant 2 (5)
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Fired down the leg side, Shubman Gill goes for a sweep but doesn't time it well enough. The ball dribbles from the inner portion of his bat to the right of short fine leg for one.
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Flighted on the pads, Shubman Gill clips this to short mid-wicket.
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Tossed up, on the pads, Shubman Gill tucks this to mid-wicket.
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Fuller around off, Shubman Gill finds mid off with a drive again.
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Short of a length, on middle and leg, Shubman Gill collapses his back knee and pulls this to the right of deep square leg for a couple.
Abdul Malik to Shubman Gill, Low full toss, around off, Shubman Gill drives this well but straight to mid off.
Abdul Malik (3-0-9-0) comes on to bowl his off-breaks.
- Rishabh Pant 2 (5)
- Shubman Gill 59 (73)
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Full and wide of off, Pant offers a dead bat at it.
Ziaur Rahman to Shubman Gill, Short and wide of off, Shubman Gill cuts this through point for one run.
Ziaur Rahman to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Gill has decided to up the ante even more, it feels. Pitched-up delivery, on off, Shubman Gill steps across, gets inside the line of the ball and flicks this through the right of the mid on fielder for four runs.
Ziaur Rahman to Shubman Gill, Full and around off, Shubman Gill drives this well off his front foot to the left of mid off. A good fielding effort by the fielder, diving to his left, saves 4 for the side.
Ziaur Rahman to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Even the edges are flying to the fence for Gill. This was bowled around that nagging length from Ziaur, on middle and off, Gill looks to flick this away but gets squared up. The ball takes an outside edge and races to the third man fence for four runs.
Rahul (100 off 165 balls) showed the value of defence while skipper Gill (103 batting off 143 balls) was intent-personified on a day when India decided to give a batting masterclass in Tests to an Afghanistan attack that was high on spirit but low on skill quotient.
The manner in which Gill batted, it seemed like he was playing a practice game.
The languid approach and the lazy elegance was on view as he held an already tired Afghan attack by the scruff of its neck, hitting 11 fours and a straight six. In his 41st Test, the Indian skipper now has 11 centuries.
The one who would rue missing out on a three figure mark is Sai Sudharsan (81 off 104 balls) despite getting two reprieves while Rishabh Pant was happy smashing three effortless sixes en route his unbeaten half-century off just 70 balls.
It is unlikely that India would bat more than a session and half on the second day before declaration and unleashing their spin troika on Afghanistan.
