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- IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 2: Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar resume after lunch as India near 500
IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 2: Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar resume after lunch as India near 500
Rahul's innings was a lesson in patience and discipline. The right-hander overcame an early reprieve — a faint edge that went unnoticed by wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai — to compile a measured 100 off 165 balls. His innings allowed the more fluent Sai Sudharsan to play freely during their 139-run second-wicket partnership. The left-hander looked set for a maiden Test century before falling for 81 after surviving two earlier chances.
If Rahul represented restraint, Gill epitomised authority. The captain batted with remarkable ease, treating the weary Afghan bowlers with disdain while remaining unbeaten on 103 off 143 deliveries. His 11 boundaries and a straight six reflected the confidence with which he controlled proceedings. Alongside the adventurous Rishabh Pant, who blasted three sixes in an unbeaten half-century, Gill added 121 runs for the fourth wicket to further flatten Afghanistan.
While Mohammad Saleem emerged as Afghanistan's most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 67, it was pacer Ziaur Rahman who posed the biggest challenge. However, the visitors' biggest problem lay in their spin department. In the absence of their established stars, Nangeyalia Kharote and Abdul Malik lacked the quality to trouble India's accomplished batters.
India scored freely without resorting to all-out aggression, collecting 42 boundaries and four sixes. With the pitch expected to aid spin as the game progresses, the hosts appear firmly on course to dictate the contest and possibly force a result well before the scheduled fifth day.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Manav Suthar, No run.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Manav Suthar, Full and around off, going across the batter. Manav Suthar leaves it.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Manav Suthar, Short one, going across the batter. Manav Suthar keeps his guard down.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Manav Suthar, Good length, around off, Manav pushes this towards covers.
- Manav Suthar 25 (29)
- Washington Sundar 26 (34)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Full and on middle and leg, Manav slogs this from the bottom of his bat towards long on for one.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Quicker one, around off, Manav Suthar blocks this off his front foot.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Tossed up, around off, Manav Suthar drives this through covers for a brace.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, SIX! Suthar is finding his footing as this is his second biggie of the game. Fuller on middle and off, Manav Suthar jumps down and away and lofts this up and over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie. This also brings up 500 on the board for India.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Washington Sundar, Quicker one, around off, Sundar plays this off his back foot and cuts this through the point region. Mohammad Saleem gives it a chase from covers and trips over, but does well to dive and flick the ball back inside the playing area, saving a run for his side.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Washington Sundar, Tossed up, around middle and leg, Sundar pushes this to the bowler's left.
- Washington Sundar 23 (32)
- Manav Suthar 16 (25)
Azmatullah Omarzai to Washington Sundar, Back of a length, around off, Washington Sundar cuts this to deep point for a single.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Manav Suthar, On a length, drifting down the leg. Manav Suthar clips this through square leg for one run.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Manav Suthar, In the channel, on a good length, Manav Suthar leaves it all alone.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Washington Sundar, Good length, on middle and leg, Sundar tucks this in front of mid on for a single.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Washington Sundar, Hard length, wide of off, Washington Sundar opens his bat face and guides this through the point region for two runs.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Washington Sundar, FOUR! Azmatullah Omarzai comes around the stumps, bowls it on a back of a length, around off, Washington Sundar gets up on his toes and punches this past the cover fielder to his left for a boundary.
Spin from the other end as well? Nope, it will be pace in the form of Azmatullah Omarzai.
- Manav Suthar 15 (23)
- Washington Sundar 15 (28)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Pushed through on off, Manav defends this off his front foot.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, SIX! Smashed down the ground for a biggie. Fuller around middle and off, Manav Suthar shimmies close to the pitch of the ball and smashes this right from the middle of his bat for a biggie towards the sight screen.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Tossed up, in the line of the stumps, Manav Suthar keeps it out off his front foot.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Washington Sundar, Quicker one, around off, Washington Sundar pushes this through mid on for one.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Washington Sundar, Tossed up, on middle and off, Washington Sundar defends this out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Washington Sundar, Shahidi bowls a flighted delivery around off, Sundar pushes this to covers.
We are moments away from the start of the afternoon session. The Afghanistan players have taken their respective places on the field. Hashmatullah Shahidi will start wth his off-breaks. Washington Sundar to face the first ball. A slip and a silly point in place. Let's go...
... DAY 2, SESSION 2 ...
How much more will India add? With two left-handers at the crease, expect Nangeyalia Kharote to play a much bigger role in the second session as the tourists look to bowl India out. The left-arm spinner will have his eyes on the rough that has started to develop around the left-handers' off stump. We will be back at 12.10 pm IST (6.40 am GMT) for the start of the second session. See you then!
Saleem made the difference - Shubman Gill would have been out lbw, while Rishabh Pant had also nicked one behind, but Afghanistan opted against reviewing on both occasions. It was Mohammad Saleem who led the way with the lengths he bowled with the new ball. While Omarzai did create those two chances, he still erred a touch on the shorter side at times. Saleem managed to strike twice before Hashmatullah Shahidi managed to prise out Pant.
A session of mixed fortunes - Just three wickets fell on the entirety of Day 1, but Afghanistan matched that tally in the morning session alone. Even so, India added 107 runs in 25 overs to push their total close to 500. After letting their quicks loosen up, Afghanistan took the second new ball. Azmatullah Omarzai created a couple of opportunities, but for the second day running, the visitors were left to rue their use of the DRS.
- Manav Suthar 9 (20)
- Washington Sundar 14 (25)
Nangeyalia Kharote to Manav Suthar, Fuller on middle and off, Manav Suthar blocks this off his front foot back to the bowler. That will be LUNCH ON DAY 2.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Manav Suthar, Tossed up, around off, Manav Suthar defends this off his front foot.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Washington Sundar, Quicker one, around off, Sundar punches this down to long on for one.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Washington Sundar, Pushed through on middle and off, Washington Sundar tucks this to mid-wicket.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Washington Sundar, Tossed up, around the pads, Sundar steps across and dabs this to short fine leg.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Washington Sundar, Flighted, around off, Washington Sundar blocks this off his front foot.
- Manav Suthar 9 (18)
- Washington Sundar 13 (21)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Under-cutter, around off, Manav Suthar defends this out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Fuller on off, Manav strides close to the pitch of the ball and blocks this off his front foot.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Shahidi gives it a lot more air, bowls it around off. Manav Suthar dead bats it.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Tossed up, around off, Manav defends this to silly point.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, FOUR! Yet another time, Manav puts on the dancing shoes and gets one away to the fence for four. Quicker one, around middle and leg, Manav Suthar jumps close to the pitch of the ball and smashes this aerially past the left of mid on for four runs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Fuller around off, Manav Suthar blocks this to silly point.
- Washington Sundar 13 (21)
- Manav Suthar 5 (12)
Abdul Malik to Washington Sundar, Tossed up, around off, Sundar pushes this down the track for a dot.
Abdul Malik to Washington Sundar, Full and on off, Sundar blocks this out.
Abdul Malik to Washington Sundar, FOUR! A streaky boundary for Sundar. Quicker through the air, flatter and around off. Washington Sundar rocks back to guide this through the point region, but the ball grips the surface, resulting in it catching the outer portion of the bat. It goes through the left of the first slip fielder for a boundary towards the third man region.
Abdul Malik to Washington Sundar, Abdul drags his length back a bit, bowls this full and around off, Washington Sundar blocks this out.
Abdul Malik to Manav Suthar, Fuller around off, Manav drives this towards the left of mid off and takes a run.
It will be spin from both ends as Abdul Malik (6-0-37-0) has been called into the attack.
Abdul Malik to Washington Sundar, Short of a length, on off, Sundar pushes this through mid on for one.
- Manav Suthar 4 (11)
- Washington Sundar 8 (16)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Pushed through on off, Manav defends this off his front foot.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Fuller on middle and leg, Manav is solid in defence.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Manav Suthar, Arm-delivery, on middle and leg. Manav blocks this off his front foot.
Rahul, who reached his 12th Test hundred with a patient 100 off 165 balls, embodied classical Test-match virtues, relying on sound defence and elegant drives after surviving an early chance. Gill, meanwhile, was the aggressor-in-chief, batting with such ease that he appeared to be playing a practice game. The Indian skipper remained unbeaten on 103 from 143 deliveries, his 11th Test century coming in just his 41st appearance.
Sai Sudharsan continued his impressive rise with an attractive 81 off 104 balls despite receiving two reprieves, sharing a 139-run stand with Rahul after Yashasvi Jaiswal's early dismissal. Rishabh Pant then joined Gill in an entertaining unbroken partnership worth 121 runs, smashing three sixes during his unbeaten fifty.
Afghanistan's spirited attack struggled for penetration, with Mohammad Saleem claiming two wickets while pacer Ziaur Rahman impressed without much reward. Their inexperienced spin unit failed to exert control, conceding runs regularly as India struck 42 fours and four sixes.
With assistance available for spin on the surface, India are expected to bat briefly on the second morning before unleashing their three-pronged slow-bowling attack.
