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- IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 1: KL Rahul completes 12th Test century; India in commanding position
IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 1: KL Rahul completes 12th Test century; India in commanding position
Having resumed after lunch on 96 for 1, India found a reliable partnership in Rahul and Sudharsan, who added 139 runs from 185 deliveries to seize complete control. While Rahul's innings was marked by composure and sound technique, Sudharsan's knock carried a blend of elegance and adventure.
The Tamil Nadu batter, whose place at No. 3 has been strongly backed by head coach Gautam Gambhir, survived two moments of fortune as edges evaded the slip cordon. Yet he made Afghanistan pay with a stroke-filled innings featuring 13 boundaries. Particularly impressive was his ability to score freely through the midwicket region, while a straight drive off pacer Mohammad Saleem Safi provided one of the highlights of the day.
Rahul too enjoyed a slice of luck when Afghanistan failed to appeal for what television replays suggested was a clear edge. Apart from that moment, the experienced batter looked in complete command, driving and cutting with authority while remaining solid in defence. His unbeaten 81, studded with nine fours, left him within sight of a 12th Test century.
After Sudharsan fell short of a maiden hundred, skipper Shubman Gill continued the momentum with an unbeaten 20, striking four boundaries as India headed into the tea break in a commanding position.
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.
Mohammad Saleem to Shubman Gill, Drags the length back, over the off stump. Gill pats it to cover from the crease.
Mohammad Saleem to Shubman Gill, Tailing back in, on a good length, on middle. Shubman Gill taps it down the strip with a straight bat.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Angled in at the hips, on a back of a length. KL helps it down to deep fine leg and crosses over.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Saleem bangs it in short, over middle. Rahul swivels and gets his hands high for the pull. He connects well but can't beat the man at mid-wicket.
- Shubman Gill 2 (4)
- KL Rahul 73 (125)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Shubman Gill, Full and attacking the front pad, Gill defends it out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Looped up, on middle. Rahul pushes this to long on to pick up a single.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, That kept low. Turning back in sharply, on a nagging length, on middle. Rahul rocks back and does well to adjust to the low bounce. He watchfully keeps it out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Fired onto the pads, KL Rahul rocks back and nudges this towards mid-wicket.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Shubman Gill, Fuller on middle and leg, Shubman Gill flicks this to long on for a single.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Shubman Gill, Tossed up, on the pads, Shubman Gill tucks this to short fine leg.
- KL Rahul 72 (122)
- Shubman Gill 1 (1)
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Back of a length, around off, KL Rahul blocks this off his back foot.
Mohammad Saleem to Shubman Gill, Hard length, on middle and off, Shubman Gill tucks this towards the right of mid on for a single to get off the mark.
Indian skipper, Shubman Gill, walks out at 4.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! A sharp grab from the keeper and Mohammad Saleem has broken through for Afghanistan. Bowled by going wide on the crease on the around-the-wicket angle. This is very full, outside off. A bit of a late decision by Sudharsan to go for the drive and he hurriedly gets his bat down. The ball behind goes off an outside edge, where the keeper, Afsar Zazai dives to his left and holds onto it. Earlier in the session, we saw a similar ball go through the keeper and the first slip but not this time. The 139-run stand has been broken and India are now 180/2.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Slanting in at the hips. Rahul glances it down to deep fine leg and rotates the strike.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Dug in short, over off. Sai gets on top of the bounce and angles it in front of backward point for a quick single.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Short and wide on off, Rahul slaps it to deep point and gets to the other end.
More on the squad announcement - There is a significant absentee from India's ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, with Virat Kohli ruled out due to an injury. In his place, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been drafted into the squad.
- Sai Sudharsan 80 (102)
- KL Rahul 70 (119)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Indecision! Drifting in, on a good length, in line with the off stump. Sudharsan thinks about letting it go initally but then just about jams it out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Shorter and slower, on middle. This is pushed to long on for another single.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Speared in at the pads, Sai nurdles this full ball behind square leg to turn the strike over.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Turning back into the pads, on a good length. Rahul hops back and wrists it through mid-wicket for a run.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Flat and short, on middle. Rahul blocks it from the crease.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Bowled on a length, on off. Sai chops it through point for a single.
- KL Rahul 68 (116)
- Sai Sudharsan 78 (99)
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Attacking the stumps, on a length, Rahul defends it watchfully.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Hits the hard length, on off. Sai stands tall and slices it to the left of deep third. They cross.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Fuller and tailing back in, on off. KL drops it with soft hands in front of cover and hurries to the other end.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, On the shorter side, on off. Rahul rises with the bounce for the block.
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, This is on a hard length, over off. Sudharsan runs it down to deep third for a single.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, A prolonged appeal for LBW, but it is turned down. Mohammad Saleem looks convinced and Hashmatullah Shahidi takes the review. A bit of reverse on return to the attack for Saleem. Angled in a good length, on middle. Rahul brings his bat out in front for the block but is beaten on the inside edge to be hit on the back thigh. The ball goes away on the off side and the batters cross over. Oh, there is a spike on the UltraEdge, confirming the inside edge. Rahul is saved by the inside edge as the Ball Tracking shows that the ball would have crashed into the top of the leg stump.
- Sai Sudharsan 76 (97)
- KL Rahul 66 (112)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Looped up, on off. Sai firms the drive but can't get it past the man at cover.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Slower through the air and the length stays full, on middle. Sudharsan defends with the bat close to the front pad.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Full and pushed through on middle. Sudharsan is solid in defence.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Shorter and on the off stump. Sai stabs it down watchfully.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Flatter and angled in at the sticks. Sai Sudharsan goes back to a ball he was better off being on the front foot but manages to keep it out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Full and drifting in, on middle and leg. This is eased to long on for a single.
- Sai Sudharsan 76 (92)
- KL Rahul 65 (111)
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Hard length, on off, Sai Sudharsan keeps it out.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Well timed in the gap for four more runs. Pitched-up delivery, around the pads, Sai flicks this through the mid-wicket region and the ball has raced to the fence for four.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Full and around middle and leg, Sai Sudharsan nudges this to mid-wicket. The bat of Sai did twist in his hands as he worked this away.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Rahman bowls it on a length, around off, Sai Sudharsan blocks this off his front foot.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Back of a length, around off, KL Rahul defends this off his back foot on the off side and takes a run.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Ziaur bowls it full and on middle and off, Sai Sudharsan punches this to the right of mid on for a single.
- Sai Sudharsan 71 (87)
- KL Rahul 64 (110)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Floated around off, Sai Sudharsan pushes this through covers for a run.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Flighted around middle and off, Sai Sudharsan strides a long way down, gets close to the pitch of the ball and sweeps this through the square leg region for four runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Tossed up, around off, Sai Sudharsan rocks back and pushes this towards mid off.
Just in - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has earned his maiden India call-up, with the youngster named in the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England. There is also a new leader at the helm, with Shreyas Iyer appointed India's T20I captain, while Tilak Varma has been named his deputy. It also marks the return of Harshit Rana, who missed the T20 World Cup due to a knee injury. The squad for the Asian Games later this year has also been announced and is largely similar to the group set to tour Ireland and England.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Fuller on off, KL Rahul rolls this down to long off for one.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Tossed up, around the pads, KL Rahul goes for a flick but misses and gets rapped on the front pad. This one was going down the leg.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Short of a length, on middle and off, Sai Sudharsan punches this past short covers for one. Just a half-stop from the fielder in that position.
DRINKS BREAK! India have added 59 runs in the 12 overs since Lunch and have largely been in control of proceedings. Afghanistan did not quite hit their straps at the start of the session, with boundaries coming far too easily, but Ziaur Rahman is in the midst of a probing spell and will need support from the other end if the visitors are to build any sort of pressure. Sai Sudharsan and KL Rahul have capitalised on the inexperience of this Afghan attack and will now have their sights firmly set on three figures.
Resuming from 96 for 1 at lunch, the pair blended caution with aggression to blunt an Afghan attack that struggled to create sustained pressure on a largely placid surface. Rahul looked increasingly assured as the innings progressed and remained unbeaten on 81, moving within touching distance of his 12th Test century. The veteran opener mixed solid defence with elegant strokeplay, striking nine boundaries in a commanding effort.
Sudharsan, who has the backing of head coach Gautam Gambhir, displayed positive intent throughout his knock. The left-hander rode his luck on a couple of occasions as edges flew through vacant areas, but made the most of the reprieves with a sparkling 81 featuring 13 boundaries. Most of his runs came through the leg side, although his straight drive off Mohammad Saleem Safi stood out among a host of eye-catching strokes.
The partnership ended when Sudharsan fell short of what would have been a maiden Test hundred. Captain Shubman Gill then continued India's dominance, remaining unbeaten on 20 at the interval after Yashasvi Jaiswal had earlier departed for 24.
