Rahul, Gill hit centuries as India dominate Afghanistan on opening day
India asserted their dominance on the opening day of the Test match against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, with masterful centuries from KL Rahul and Shubman Gill propelling the hosts to a formidable 368 for 3 by stumps. The day was marked by resilient batting, evolving pitch conditions, and moments of both brilliance and missed opportunities for the Afghan side in their first Test encounter with India since 2018.
India’s Measured Start Amidst Early Challenges
The city of New Chandigarh played host to its inaugural men’s Test match, with temperatures soaring to a challenging 40 degrees Celsius. India captain Shubman Gill, after winning the toss, elected to bat first, anticipating the pitch to deteriorate as the match progressed. However, Afghanistan’s new-ball bowlers, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Saleem, immediately found uneven bounce and movement, keeping the Indian openers on their toes.
KL Rahul, opening the innings, endured a tentative start, often reaching for deliveries wide of his body and mistiming shots. He meandered to 16 off 34 balls by the end of the tenth over, struggling to find his rhythm. At the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal adopted a more aggressive approach, capitalizing on fuller deliveries to race to 20 off 26 deliveries.
A significant moment of luck befell Rahul in the 11th over. A wide delivery from Ziaur Ahmed saw Rahul slash at it, with both the bowler and wicketkeeper appealing vociferously for a caught behind. Despite the strong appeal, Afghanistan opted not to review the not-out decision. Replays subsequently confirmed that Rahul had indeed edged the ball, a missed opportunity that would prove costly for the visiting side. Rahul, granted a reprieve, proceeded to settle in, judiciously leaving balls outside off stump and defending fuller deliveries that gripped the surface.
The breakthrough for Afghanistan came in the 12th over when Mohammad Saleem claimed his maiden Test wicket. Jaiswal, after leaning into a confident front-foot drive earlier in the over, attempted to flick an inswinger drifting down leg, only to feather an edge to the wicketkeeper. His departure for a brisk 24 off 32 balls brought B Sai Sudharsan to the crease.
Sai Sudharsan’s Promising Knock and Crucial Partnership
As the new-ball swing dissipated and the pitch’s bounce became less treacherous, B Sai Sudharsan capitalised effectively. He showcased his elegant stroke play early, lacing three boundaries within his first 15 deliveries. The young batter looked composed and confident, building a strong foundation alongside Rahul.
Sai Sudharsan, however, had his own moments of fortune. In the 35th over, a tentative defence outside off against Ziaur saw his edge dissect the gap between wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai and first slip, narrowly escaping dismissal. Eight overs later, looking set for what would have been his maiden Test century, Sai Sudharsan played an expansive drive outside off against Saleem. This time, the ball flew into the slip cordon, but Afsar Zazai pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch diving to his left, ending Sai Sudharsan’s impressive innings at 81. The crucial second-wicket partnership, which had added 131 runs, was broken, but Rahul remained steadfast at the crease.
Rahul’s Resilience and Gill’s Imperious Dominance
KL Rahul’s innings was a testament to his resilience and ability to absorb pressure. After navigating the tricky early conditions and riding his luck, he gradually found his rhythm. In the 61st over, a flick off his pads brought up a gritty century, his 12th in Test cricket, a landmark achieved after wearing down the Afghan bowling attack through sheer determination. His knock was a masterclass in patience and calculated aggression.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, who joined Rahul after Sai Sudharsan’s departure, began to stamp his authority on the game. While Rahul’s century was a battle against the elements, Gill’s imperious knock, his 11th in the format, was aided by a visibly worn-down Afghan attack. After the tea break, Gill unleashed a flurry of elegant drives and precise cuts, punishing anything full or wide. He accumulated 11 fours and one majestic six, showcasing his fluid stroke play and taking full toll on a tiring bowling unit.
The third-wicket partnership between Rahul and Gill blossomed, adding 67 crucial runs. However, moments after reaching his personal milestone, Rahul fell. Just one delivery after bringing up his century, he perished for exactly 100, playing a loose waft away from his body off Ziaur, straight to short extra cover. This marked the third time in Test cricket that Rahul had been dismissed on 100, placing him joint-second in this unwanted statistic, only behind England’s Len Hutton (4).
Pant’s Explosive Cameo Caps Dominant Day
With Rahul’s departure, Rishabh Pant walked out to the middle, playing his 50th Test for India. The message from the dressing room seemed clear: consolidate and see out the final hour of play. An unusually restrained Pant initially batted within his means, exhibiting caution. However, his eyes lit up in the 68th over against off-spinner Abdul Malik. Exploiting a series of half-trackers, Pant unleashed three characteristic flat-batted sixes, much to the delight of the crowd. These explosive shots, however, would be his only sixes of the evening as he reverted to a more watchful approach.
As the day drew to a close, Shubman Gill brought up his magnificent century with a flick to square leg in the 83rd over off Saleem, just minutes before stumps. Afghanistan, surprisingly, opted not to take the new ball, continuing with a battered old ball. Pant skillfully manipulated a thinly spread leg-side field in these final overs, ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking. He brought up his own well-deserved fifty off 70 balls on the penultimate delivery of the day’s play, rounding off a comprehensive performance by the Indian batters.
Afghanistan’s bowlers, despite showing initial promise with uneven bounce, struggled to maintain discipline throughout the day. Their spinners, including captain Hashmatullah Shahidi who bowled slowly and used drift effectively, failed to create genuine wicket-taking opportunities. Debutant Nangeyalia Kharote had a dropped catch off his bowling early on, and both he and part-timer Abdul Malik often strayed into leg-stump lines, easing the pressure on the Indian batsmen. With India firmly in control at 368 for 3, the stage is set for them to build an even more imposing total on Day 2.
