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- IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 1: KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan extend India's strong start after lunch
IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 1: KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan extend India's strong start after lunch
India fielded six left-handed batters in the playing XI, only the third time they have done so, having previously featured the same number of southpaws in both Tests against South Africa last year. However, Afghanistan's seamers ensured the hosts had to work hard for their runs on a surface that offered little assistance to the bowlers.
Following Shubman Gill's decision to bat first, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul laid a solid foundation. Jaiswal set the tone with a boundary in the first over but was unable to convert his start into a bigger contribution. Mohammad Saleem Safi provided Afghanistan with the breakthrough on the final ball of the 12th over, inducing an edge behind from the left-hander, who made 24 from 32 balls.
Sai Sudharsan, entrusted with a longer rope at No. 3, made an assured start and joined Rahul in blunting the Afghanistan attack. The pair stitched together an unbeaten stand of 55 runs from 78 deliveries, frustrating the visitors after the early success.
At the break, Rahul was batting on 37 and Sudharsan on 32, with India comfortably placed at 96/1 after 25 overs. Saleem Safi's dismissal of Jaiswal remained Afghanistan's lone reward for an otherwise disciplined effort with the ball.
Playing XIs:
India XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (w), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Afghanistan XI: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Afsar Zazai (w), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Tossed up, on middle and leg, KL Rahul tucks this on the bounce to short leg.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Quicker one, on off, KL Rahul defends this out.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Pushed through on off, KL Rahul works this a bit aerially towards the mid-wicket region but well short of the catching fielder. A touch of grip here for Abdul Malik.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Fuller, around off, KL Rahul flicks this through the mid-wicket region for a couple of runs.
It will be spin from both ends as Abdul Malik will bowl his off-breaks now.
- Sai Sudharsan 25 (27)
- KL Rahul 26 (55)
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! A boundary to end the over. Not a bad start to Kharote's Test career, despite going for 8 runs. Flighted, around off, Sai Sudharsan goes down on his knee and sweeps this in front of square towards the deep mid-wicket region for a boundary.
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, Floated onto the pads, KL Rahul tucks this through the empty pocket towards fine leg. Rahmanullah Gurbaz goes after it from first slip and hauls it in. Three runs taken.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, DROPPED! Sai Sudharsan is dropped on 20 by Rahmanullah Gurbaz at first slip. Straight one, wide of off, Sudharsan presses onto his front foot and goes for a block, but the ball catches the outside edge. It goes low to Gurbaz at slip, who sticks out the right hand. Gurbaz gets fingertips to it, but cannot pouch this. A single taken.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Quicker one, wide of off, Sai Sudharsan offers nothing at it.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Floated wide outside off, Sai Sudharsan leaves it.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Fuller one, turning back into the batter. Sai Sudharsan rocks back and blocks this towards the leg side.
With about 25 minutes left for the Lunch break, we will have the first look at spin. It will be the debutant left-arm finger spinner, Nangeyalia Kharote.
- Sai Sudharsan 20 (22)
- KL Rahul 23 (54)
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Good length, on the pads, Sai Sudharsan gets up on his toes while hopping back inside the crease and flicks this through square leg for a single.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Full and wide of off, Sai Sudharsan strides close to the pitch of the ball and drives this from the bottom of his bat towards short cover.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Back of a length, on off, Sai Sudharsan nudges this to mid-wicket.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Saleem bowls a good-length delivery on middle and off, Sai Sudharsan defends this one.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Probably the best one Sai Sudharsan has sent to the fence this morning. A touch too full and a bit too straight as well. On the pads, Sai Sudharsan punches this off his front foot past mid on to his right for four runs.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, WIDE! Bouncer, down the leg side. Sai Sudharsan sits underneath it. The ball is deemed a bit too high by the umpire as he calls it a wide.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Full and across the batter, on off. Sai Sudharsan blocks this off his front foot.
- KL Rahul 23 (54)
- Sai Sudharsan 15 (16)
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Good length, on off, KL Rahul rises with the bounce and punches this to short cover.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, Azmatullah Omarzai comes around the stumps, bowls it on a length, in the line of the sticks. Sai Sudharsan gets it tickled to fine leg for a single.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Third boundary already for Sai Sudharsan. A touch wayward from Omarzai as he dishes this on a good length but down the leg side. Sai Sudharsan flicks this through the square leg region for a boundary.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, Short and around off, Sai Sudharsan cuts this through point and takes a couple.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Back of a length, drifting down the leg side. KL Rahul gets inside the line and flicks this through square leg for one.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Good length, around off, KL Rahul blocks this to mid on.
It is very hot out in the middle. The two batters quickly replenish themselves with fluids between overs.
- Sai Sudharsan 8 (13)
- KL Rahul 22 (51)
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Another delightful flick by Sai. Saleem, just like Azmatullah in the previous over, ends the over by bowling a pitched-up delivery. Sai Sudharsan is up for it as he presses close to the pitch of the ball and flicks this past mid on to his left for a boundary.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Pitched up, around off, Sai Sudharsan drives this right from the middle of his bat but straight to mid off.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Full toss, tailing back into the batter, Rahul flicks this to the right of mid on for a single.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Right in the channel, a touch wide of off, KL Rahul leaves it.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Good length, around off, KL Rahul blocks this one close to his pads. This might have just hit his pad first as well, but Rahul took a step across the line. The UltraEdge confirms that it was pad first, but no one from the bowling side went up in an appeal. The Ball Tracking has the impact as umpire's call, but the ball would have crashed into the off stump.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, FOUR! Now this is what will make KL Rahul feel at home. On a length, around off, KL Rahul stands still, offers a straight bat and punches this well from the middle of his bat for an on-drive that races past the mid on fielder to his left for a boundary down the ground.
- Sai Sudharsan 4 (11)
- KL Rahul 17 (47)
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Sai is off the mark with a boundary. Pitched-up delivery, around middle and off, searching for a bit more swing, was Azmatullah Omarzai. Sai stays balanced at the crease and flicks this past the mid on fielder to his left for a boundary. The bat did tilt in Sai's hands, but he held onto it.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, Good length, on off, Sai Sudharsan dabs this to backward point.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, Omarzai goes full and across the batter. Sai Sudharsan gives it a good look and resists the temptation of flashing at it.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, A touch too straight this time from Azmatullah as he bowls this on the back of a length, around the hips of Sai. The batter offers a straight bat and blocks this out.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sai Sudharsan, Hard length, around off, shaping away from the southpaw. Sai gets up on his toes and pushes this to covers. Even Sai is finding it difficult to time the ball well.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Short and on off, KL Rahul fends this through the square leg region for a single.
- Sai Sudharsan 0 (6)
- KL Rahul 16 (46)
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, A testing bouncer to end the over from Mohammad Saleem. Sai Sudharsan ducks down on this one. Back-to-back maidens for Afghanistan.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Around that nagging length this time from the bowler. Sai Sudharsan hops back and pats this past the bowler's right.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Good length, around off, Sai Sudharsan doesn't time this well and hits this from the inner half of his blade towards covers.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Length dragged back here by Saleem, on the back of a length, Sai Sudharsan gets up on his toes and dabs this on the bounce to backward point.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Saleem goes full, shaping it away from the batter around the off stump. Sai Sudharsan gets close to the pitch of the ball and blocks this out.
Some repair work needs to be carried out on the ball, with Richard Illingworth taking out the scissors to tidy it up.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Saleem bowls this on a length, around the pads. Sai Sudharsan tucks this to mid-wicket.
- KL Rahul 16 (46)
- Sai Sudharsan 0 (0)
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Third maiden for Azmatullah Omarzai. Good length, on middle and leg, KL Rahul gets behind the line of the ball and pushes this with a straight bat to mid on.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Now this was an inswinger from Azmatullah Omarzai, on a good length, around off. KL Rahul shuffles back and across and pushes this back to the bowler.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, A lot more effort behind this ball as Azmat bowls a bouncer, on off. KL Rahul lets it go unpoked.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Another one on the shorter side, on off from Azmatullah Omarzai. KL Rahul blocks this to the right of Nangeyalia Kharote at point.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, In the channel, around off with the ball shaping away from the batter. KL Rahul leaves it.
After captain Shubman Gill opted to bat, India made a positive start through Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul. Jaiswal got off the mark with a crisp boundary off Ziaur Rahman Sharifi in the opening over, but Afghanistan's bowlers maintained tight lines and prevented the hosts from scoring freely.
The visitors earned a deserved breakthrough in the 12th over when Mohammad Saleem Safi induced an edge from Jaiswal, who departed for 24 off 32 balls after a promising start. The dismissal brought Sai Sudharsan to the crease, and the left-hander quickly settled in alongside the experienced Rahul.
The duo ensured there were no further setbacks before lunch, adding an unbeaten 55 runs for the second wicket from 78 deliveries. Rahul looked composed on 37 not out, while Sudharsan was unbeaten on 32 as India reached 96/1 after 25 overs.
Saleem Safi was the lone wicket-taker for Afghanistan, finishing the session with figures of 1/27 as the visitors searched for more breakthroughs.
