- News
- Sports News
- Cricket News
- 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.
Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Back of a length, on off, Gurbaz keeps it out.
Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Good length, on off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz presses onto his front foot and defends this off one.
Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hard length, around off, RG defends this off his front foot.
- Sediqullah Atal 34 (43)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz 6 (8)
Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Around that nagging length, on off, top-spinner from Sundar. Sediqullah Atal gets right on top of the bounce and blocks this out.
Washington Sundar to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Pushed through, wide of off, Gurbaz dabs this to the left of Siraj at backward point for one.
Washington Sundar to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tossed up, around off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz blocks this off his front foot.
Washington Sundar to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Quicker one, on the pads, Gurbaz blocks this around short leg.
Washington Sundar to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Flat and short, around off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz dabs this to point.
Washington Sundar to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, FOUR! Fuller on the pads, Rahmanullah Gurbaz brings out the reverse sweep and plays this in the gap through the point region for a boundary.
Washington Sundar to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, NO BALL! Starts with a full ball, around off, Gurbaz blocks this off his front foot. The siren goes around signalling that Sundar has overstepped.
Washington Sundar comes into the attack, replacing Manav Suthar.
- Sediqullah Atal 34 (42)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz 1 (2)
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Full and wide outside the off stump. Sediqullah Atal shoulders arms.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Back of a length, on off, Atal defends this one solidly.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Hard length, on off, Atal jams this off his front foot.
Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Good length, going down the leg side. Rahmanullah Gurbaz flicks this through square leg for a single.
Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Slower one, back of a length, around off. Rahmanullah Gurbaz steps down the track and blocks this out.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz is in at number 3.
Mohammed Siraj to Abdul Malik, OUT! LBW! Trapped plumb in front of the stumps here is Abdul. Siraj steams in from over the stumps, bowls it on a good length, tailing it back into the batter on middle and leg. Abdul Malik looks to flick through mid-wicket but misses and gets rapped on the front pad. A loud appeal and the umpire raises his finger. Abdul takes the review, more in hope than in expectation. Three reds on the Ball Tracking backs the on-field decision of OUT. Afghanistan are 42 for 1, trailing by 370 runs.
- Sediqullah Atal 34 (39)
- Abdul Malik 8 (39)
Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Quicker one, turning back into the batter off a good length. Sediqullah Atal takes a long step out in front and goes for the block but misses and gets hit around his abdomen.
Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR! Atal is trying to unsettle Manav off his line and length here. Tossed up, around off, Sediqullah Atal brings out the reverse sweep and plays this along the ground through the backward point region for four runs.
Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Much slower, full and around off. Sediqullah Atal rocks back inside his crease and gets an inside edge that deflects off his pads and falls well short of Sai Sudharsan at short leg.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Fired into the batter, on middle and off. Abdul Malik blocks this off the inside portion of the bat beside the strip on the leg side for one.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Shorter, around off, turning away from the batter. Abdul Malik goes deep inside the crease and looks to defend but gets beaten.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Fuller on off, Abdul Malik keeps it out off his back foot.
The Indian fielders take a moment to sip on some fluids. Manav Suthar to continue.
- Sediqullah Atal 30 (36)
- Abdul Malik 7 (36)
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Back of a length, around off, Sediqullah Atal punches this off his back foot through covers for two.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR! Another streaky boundary for Atal and a morale victory for the bowler. Good length, around off, Sediqullah Atal plays this late, offers an angled bat face and dabs this with soft hands. The ball goes through the gully region for a boundary.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Another excellent delivery from Mohammed Siraj. Right in the channel, on a good length, around off, straightening after pitching. Atal plays within the line and gets beaten on the outside edge.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Back of a length, around off, Sediqullah Atal plays at it with soft hands, dabs this to second slip on the half-volley.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Siraj continues to trouble Atal. From around the wicket, angled in before holding its line, on a good length, on the off stump. Sediqullah Atal pushes out in front with a straight bat but is beaten all ends up.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Good length, around off, Sediqullah Atal keeps it out.
- Abdul Malik 7 (36)
- Sediqullah Atal 24 (30)
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Quicker one, on off, Abdul Malik defends this off his back foot.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Tossed up, around off, Malik keeps it out off his front foot.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, DROPPED! A tough chance, but a chance nonetheless. Abdul Malik gets a life as Pant drops him on 5. Flighted, wide outside off, Abdul Malik goes for a flash off his front foot. The ball takes an outside edge of Abdul's bat, and the ball goes to the right of the keeper. Pant goes for the catch but could only manage fingertips on it. The ball then goes past the right of KL Rahul at first slip, who was initially moving to his left but had to adjust and couldn't lay a hand on it. Two runs taken as Siraj cuts it off around the third man fence.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Fuller on off, Abdul Malik keeps it out.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Tossed up, on off, Abdul Malik defends this off his front foot.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Fired around off, Abdul Malik pokes at it but bails out in time.
- Sediqullah Atal 24 (30)
- Abdul Malik 5 (30)
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Good length, on the pads, Sediqullah Atal pushes this to short mid-wicket.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, A genuine outside edge here, but the ball lands short of KL Rahul at first slip. On a length, around off, Sediqullah tries to press forward for the block. The ball cuts away from the batter and catches an outside edge that lands well short of Rahul.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Full and wide outside off, Sediqullah Atal shoulders his arms at it.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Right in the channel, good length, around off. This was angling into the batter but it moves away after landing. Atal looks to defend it but gets beaten.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR! Edged and the ball has raced to the fence for four. Pitched-up delivery, around off, Sediqullah Atal goes after it with a drive. Gets an outside edge and the ball beats the second slip fielder to his left before going away to the third man fence for four.
Mohammed Siraj to Sediqullah Atal, Siraj comes around the stumps, bowls it full and around off, the ball nips a hint away from the batter as well. Sediqullah Atal looks to block this off his front foot but gets beaten on his outside edge.
- Abdul Malik 5 (30)
- Sediqullah Atal 20 (24)
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Floated around the off stump. Abdul Malik blocks this to silly point.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Fired fuller on off, Abdul Malik defends this out.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, A tad quicker and fuller as well, around off. Abdul Malik prods onto his front foot to block this but gets an outside edge that races past Siraj at short third for a couple of runs.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Tossed up, on middle and leg, Abdul Malik takes a few steps down the track and pushes this to mid on again.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Fuller on the pads, Abdul Malik flicks this down to mid on.
Manav Suthar to Abdul Malik, Manav bowls this on a nagging length, in the line of the stumps and turning away from the batter. Abdul Malik pokes at it but gets beaten.
- Abdul Malik 3 (24)
- Sediqullah Atal 20 (24)
Prasidh Krishna to Abdul Malik, On a length, around off, Abdul dabs this watchfully towards the left of point for a single.
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
