India tightened their grip on the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, building a mountainous 564 on the back of centuries from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul before a debutant spinner gave the hosts early control with the ball.
Gill and Rahul set the platform
The innings was anchored by twin hundreds from Gill and Rahul, the kind of disciplined, big-occasion batting that turns a strong start into a position from which a Test is hard to lose. India’s 564 was less about fireworks than attrition — wearing down the Afghanistan attack across long sessions and denying the visitors any sustained foothold at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.
A debutant makes his mark
The story of the second day belonged to Manav Suthar, who marked his Test debut with three wickets, returning figures of 3 for 21. For a young spinner, an economical three-wicket haul in a first appearance is the dream introduction — pressure applied, the scoreboard kept quiet, and the kind of contribution that earns a longer run in the side.
Afghanistan, in reply, leaned on the experience of Rahmat Shah, who was unbeaten on 43 as the visitors tried to dig in against India’s bowling. But chasing a total north of 560, Afghanistan’s task is as much about survival and patience as it is about runs.
Where the match stands
With a commanding first-innings total and early wickets in hand, India hold a clear advantage. The equation is simple: Afghanistan must bat long and avoid the follow-on, while India’s spinners — Suthar among them — will look to exploit a surface that is expected to offer more turn as the match wears on.
Part of a packed cricket summer
The Test is one thread in a busy June for the international game. In England, the men’s side opened their summer at Lord’s against New Zealand, where Gus Atkinson’s five-wicket haul sealed a first-Test win on an up-and-down pitch, with further Tests to follow at The Oval and Trent Bridge. The Women’s T20 World Cup is also set to get underway in England in mid-June, while Australia tour Bangladesh for a white-ball series.
The bottom line
For Afghanistan, a developing Test nation, the trip to India was always going to be a stern examination. Two days in, that examination is in full flow: India have posted the runs, a new face has taken wickets, and the visitors must now show the resolve to make this a contest rather than a procession.
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