New Chandigarh: India completely tightened their grip on the one-off Test match against Afghanistan on Day 2 in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, with debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar producing a dream spell to leave the visitors completely shaken.
The foundation for India’s massive dominance was laid early by the batters. Piling on the runs, India resumed the day at 368/3 and added another 196 runs before skipper Shubman Gill chose to declare the first innings at a mammoth 564/8. Gill himself led from the front with a sublime 126, while KL Rahul registered a brilliant century. Crucial knocks of 81 from Sai Sudharsan and Rishabh Pant, alongside an unbeaten 52 from Washington Sundar, put the hosts in an absolute driver’s seat. For Afghanistan, pacer Mohammad Saleem Safi was the lone standout performer, bagging a phenomenal 6/140 to claim his maiden five-for in international cricket.
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However, Afghanistan’s response got off to the worst possible start when Manav Suthar was introduced just before tea. Making his Test debut, the 23-year-old spinner justified the team management’s faith almost instantly. On just the fourth ball of his Test career, Suthar struck as opener Abdul Malik top-edged a sweep attempt to backward square leg. By doing so, Suthar became the first Indian cricketer in 25 years to take a wicket in the very first over of his debut Test match.
The aggression didn’t stop there. Pacer Prasidh Krishna bowled Sediqullah Atal with a sharp nip-backer and later trapped skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi lbw to push the visitors deeper into trouble. Meanwhile, Suthar completely controlled the innings with remarkable discipline, bowling maiden after maiden. He soon found the outside edge of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and completed a return catch to dismiss Afsar Zazai just before stumps.
Suthar finished the day with outstanding figures of 3/21 from 15.5 overs. At stumps on Day 2, Afghanistan collapsed to a precarious 113/5, trailing by a massive 451 runs with the follow-on threatening.
