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- IND vs AFG Highlights, One-Off Test Match Day 1: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul hit centuries as India finish at 368/3 at Stumps
IND vs AFG Highlights, One-Off Test Match Day 1: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul hit centuries as India finish at 368/3 at Stumps
Rahul (100 off 165 balls) showed the value of defence while skipper Gill (103 batting off 143 balls) was intent-personified on a day when India decided to give a batting masterclass in Tests to an Afghanistan attack that was high on spirit but low on skill quotient.
The manner in which Gill batted, it seemed like he was playing a practice game.
The languid approach and the lazy elegance was on view as he held an already tired Afghan attack by the scruff of its neck, hitting 11 fours and a straight six. In his 41st Test, the Indian skipper now has 11 centuries.
The one who would rue missing out on a three figure mark is Sai Sudharsan (81 off 104 balls) despite getting two reprieves while Rishabh Pant was happy smashing three effortless sixes en route his unbeaten half-century off just 70 balls.
It is unlikely that India would bat more than a session and half on the second day before declaration and unleashing their spin troika on Afghanistan.
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.
- Sai Sudharsan 65 (83)
- KL Rahul 63 (108)
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Good length, around off, nipping back into the batter. Sai Sudharsan ekes out an inside edge onto his pads. A gentle appeal for LBW but the umpire turns it down. Single taken as the ball rolls towards the backward point region.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Hard length, around off, Sai Sudharsan dead bats it around silly point.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Ziaur is breathing fire here. Right in the channel, around off, angling into the batter but outside off. Sai Sudharsan blocks down the wrong line and the ball goes through to the keeper.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Ziaur comes around the stumps and attacks the stumps with a length delivery. Sai Sudharsan blocks this under his eyeline.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Short and wide of off, KL Rahul goes deep inside his crease and cuts this to deep third for a run.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Good length, on middle and off, KL Rahul blocks this off his back foot.
- KL Rahul 62 (106)
- Sai Sudharsan 64 (79)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Tossed up, on middle and off, KL Rahul chips this through mid on for a single to close the over.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Fuller on off, KL Rahul dead bats it.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, OUCH! That must have hurt the fielder at silly point. Short of a length, around off, Sai Sudharsan rocks back and cuts it hard. It catches the man at silly point around the thigh. The ball deflects through point for one.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Tossed up, on off, KL Rahul comes down the track and drills this to long on for a single.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Fuller on middle and leg, KL Rahul defends this out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Tossed up, on the pads, KL Rahul goes for a flick but misses. The ball clips his front pad and falls to the right of short leg.
- Sai Sudharsan 63 (78)
- KL Rahul 60 (101)
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, Yorker, on off, Sai Sudharsan does well to block this out.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, EDGED, FOUR! A good comeback by the bowler, but the batter adds four more to his tally. Good length, around off, going across the batter. Sai Sudharsan prods onto his front foot and looks to guide this towards the backward point region. The ball catches an outside edge and goes right between the diving keeper to his left and the diving first slip fielder to his right for a boundary. The 150 is up for India.
Ziaur Rahman to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Textbook drive from Sai for four runs. Proper 1, 2, and 3 in cricketing terms. Pitched-up delivery, around off, Sai Sudharsan plants his front foot towards the line of the ball, shifts his body weight onto his front foot and drives this from the middle of his bat through the extra cover region for four runs.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Full and on the pads, drifting down the leg side. KL Rahul gets inside the line and flicks this to fine leg for one.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Hard length, around off, KL Rahul solidly blocks this out.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Right in the channel, around off, KL Rahul rocks back and across and blocks this out.
Sharafuddin Ashraf is down on the ground in pain. The physio is out to have a look. Looks like he hurt himself after putting the dive on the previous ball. Not a good sign for Afghanistan as Ashraf is going off the field with the physio.
- Sai Sudharsan 55 (75)
- KL Rahul 59 (98)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Slightly side arm from Hashmatullah Shahidi, a tad full and on off. Sai Sudharsan dabs this past the left of Sharafuddin Ashraf at first slip. Ashraf remains down on the ground, maybe because of the fall. Nonetheless, the team physio rushes out in the middle.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Beaten all ends up. Drifts one in again, around off, turning it away from the southpaw after pitching. Sai Sudharsan this time plays at it, looking to block this off his front foot but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Flighted around off, KL Rahul gently rolls his wrists and flicks this to long on for one. A 100-run partnership comes up between Sai and KL.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, A tad short this time, around off, Sai Sudharsan rocks back and punches this towards sweeper cover for a single.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, A bit of drift back into the batter and the ball turns away after pitching. Sai Sudharsan doesn't poke at it.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Shahidi comes around the stumps and bowls this full and wide outside off. Sai leaves it.
Hashmatullah Shahidi brings himself on for his off-breaks.
- KL Rahul 58 (97)
- Sai Sudharsan 54 (70)
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Good length, around off, tailing a long way back into the batter. KL Rahul tucks this to mid-wicket for a dot.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Full and wide outside off, KL Rahul gives it a good look and leaves it all alone.
After multiple attempts to trim the loose seam and tidy up the ball, the umpires have decided to change it. The fourth umpire is out with the box of balls. The replacement has been picked, and we are all good to go.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Ziaur bowls it full and in the line of the stumps. KL Rahul defends this off his front foot.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, FOUR! Nicely guided. Fuller in length, outside off. Rahul lets the ball come to him and plays the late dab by opening the face of the bat. He steers it through the vacant gully region for a boundary.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Not as wide as the previous ball but still wide enough and the length stays short. Rahul plays the cut to the right of deep point. Abdul Malik sprints and dives to his right to save a couple of runs for his side.
Ziaur Rahman (6-2-20-0) is back.
Rahul (100 off 165 balls) showed the value of defence while skipper Gill (103 batting off 143 balls) was intent-personified on a day when India decided to give a batting masterclass in Tests to an Afghanistan attack that was high on spirit but low on skill quotient.
The manner in which Gill batted, it seemed like he was playing a practice game.
The languid approach and the lazy elegance was on view as he held an already tired Afghan attack by the scruff of its neck, hitting 11 fours and a straight six. In his 41st Test, the Indian skipper now has 11 centuries.
The one who would rue missing out on a three figure mark is Sai Sudharsan (81 off 104 balls) despite getting two reprieves while Rishabh Pant was happy smashing three effortless sixes en route his unbeaten half-century off just 70 balls.
It is unlikely that India would bat more than a session and half on the second day before declaration and unleashing their spin troika on Afghanistan.
