Hashmatullah Shahidi

Speaking ahead of Afghanistan's one-off Test against India in New Chandigarh, starting on Saturday, Shahidi said the team needs a more comprehensive Test schedule to continue its development.

India dominated day two of the Test against Afghanistan. Hosts declared at 564/8, with centuries from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Debutant Manav Suthar impressed with three wickets. Afghanistan ended the day at 113/5, trailing by 451 runs. Rahmat Shah reached 1,000 Test runs. India is in a strong position to win.

Afghanistan missed a crucial DRS opportunity to dismiss Rishabh Pant, who went on to score 81 runs. Replays later confirmed a clear edge on Pant's bat, a decision that proved costly for the visitors. Pant's entertaining knock was eventually ended by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.

Rishabh Pant missed out on a century against Afghanistan, falling for 81 after a miscued attacking stroke. Former player Saba Karim suggested fatigue and dehydration, rather than poor shot selection, contributed to the dismissal. Pant's innings was crucial in India's strong first-innings total.

Rishabh Pant achieved a significant milestone, becoming the third Indian wicketkeeper to play 50 Test matches. At 28, he joins legends Dhoni and Kirmani. Despite recent career challenges, Pant's Test record remains exceptional, marked by match-winning performances and a strong batting average. This achievement underscores his enduring value in the longest format of the game.

Afghanistan coach Richard Pybus on Saturday took a sly dig at KL Rahul after the India opener chose not to walk despite edging the ball behind the stumps. At that stage, Rahul was batting on 16 and went on to complete his 12th Test hundred.

Manav Suthar received his first India Test cap on Saturday. The Rajasthan all-rounder was presented with the cap before the Afghanistan Test. Suthar is a 23-year-old left-arm spinner and lower-order batsman. He earned his call-up after strong domestic performances. This debut marks a significant step for the young cricketer.

Spinners Expected To Dominate Blazing-Hot Clash

India took charge on Day One, posting an impressive score of 368/3 against Afghanistan, highlighted by KL Rahul and Shubman Gill's centuries and a vital 81 from Sai Sudharsan. Although the innings began with some jitters from post-IPL fatigue, the Indian top order found its rhythm, culminating in strong performances from Gill and Rishabh Pant.

KL Rahul's patient century and Sai Sudharsan's fluent 81 guided India to a strong position on Day 1 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Both batsmen successfully transitioned from T20 to Test cricket, overcoming initial rustiness and justifying the team management's faith. Their partnership laid a solid foundation for India's dominance.

Afghanistan on Monday dropped four players from their Twenty20 World Cup squad, also shuffling the one-day combination for their tour of Bangladesh starting next month.

Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain Afghanistan in their first ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19. Key players include Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi. Spinner Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman will miss the tournament. Afghanistan's group matches are against South Africa, England, and Australia.

Skipper Asghar Afghan on Thursday became the first Afghanistan batsman to hit 150 in an innings of a Test match. The 33-year-old cricketer achieved the feat in the ongoing second Test against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Bowling all-rounder Karim Janat is in line to play his first one-day international in six years following his inclusion on Sunday in the Afghanistan squad for the Asia Cup. The 25-year-old played his lone one-dayer in Zimbabwe in 2017 and made his test debut against Bangladesh in June this year.

Afghanistan chose to bowl first after winning the toss against New Zealand in the World Cup match. Afghanistan stuck to the same team that defeated England. The pitch is expected to be favorable for strokeplay, with the ball coming onto the bat nicely. New Zealand is currently second in the table, while Afghanistan is in sixth place.

The Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground will host a historic one-off test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand. Led by captains Hashmatullah Shahidi and Tim Southee, the event is expected to draw over 10,000 cricket fans. Supported by Play Sports, this match marks a significant moment for the city.

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the 39th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Afghanistan made one change to their team, bringing in Naveen-ul-Haq in place of Fazalhaq Farooqi. Australia replaced Steve Smith and Cameron Green with Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell.