Rahul, Gill hit centuries as India dominate Afghanistan on opening day

New Chandigarh made its debut as a men’s Test venue under scorching conditions, with temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius. Having won the toss, Indian captain Shubman Gill opted to bat first, anticipating that the pitch would break up and offer substantial turn as the match progressed. It proved to be a masterstroke of a decision, though the initial sessions required hard work and determination from the Indian openers. By the end of the day’s play, India sat comfortably at 368 for 3, thoroughly dominating the narrative.

Early Seam and a Crucial Reprieve for KL Rahul

Afghanistan’s new-ball pairing of Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Saleem extracted surprising, uneven bounce early on. Operating with discipline, they continuously asked questions of the Indian openers, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, by targeting a back-of-a-length area and moving the ball away. Rahul, in particular, looked out of sorts initially. He frequently reached for deliveries far from his body, struggling to time his shots. By the end of the tenth over, he had scratched his way to 16 runs off 34 deliveries.

The turning point of the morning came in the 11th over. Facing Ziaur Ahmed, Rahul flashed at a wide delivery, generating a distinct noise. Both the bowler and wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai went up in a raucous appeal, but captain Hashmatullah Shahidi opted against a review. Replays later confirmed a clear edge, meaning Rahul was handed a massive life. He capitalized on this fortune immediately, tightening his defense and leaving wider deliveries alone.

At the other end, Jaiswal looked more fluent, leaning into fuller deliveries to reach 24 off 32 balls. However, his innings was cut short in the 12th over when he attempted to flick a Saleem inswinger off his hips, only to edge it behind to the keeper. It was Saleem’s maiden Test wicket, leaving India at 43 for 1.

Sai Sudharsan Joins the Grind

Following Jaiswal’s departure, B Sai Sudharsan walked out to partner Rahul. As the new-ball swing began to fade, Sudharsan settled quickly, punishing loose deliveries at the end of Saleem and Omarzai’s spells. He hit three boundaries in his first fifteen balls, easing the pressure on Rahul.

The duo put together an elegant 131-run partnership for the second wicket. While Afghanistan’s spinners tried to build pressure, they were guilty of straying in their lines. Debutant spinner Nangeyalia Kharote created an opportunity almost immediately, coaxing an edge from Sudharsan, but Rahmanullah Gurbaz dropped the tough one-handed catch diving to his right at first slip.

Sudharsan looked poised for his maiden Test century but fell for a well-made 81 in the 43rd over. Attempting an expansive drive off a wide Saleem delivery, his edge flew to the slips, where Afsar Zazai took a spectacular, one-handed diving catch to his left. Despite the breakthrough, India remained in a strong position at 174 for 2.

Shubman Gill and KL Rahul Hammer Centuries

Shubman Gill joined Rahul at the crease. As the day progressed, the pitch offered more turn, but Afghanistan’s bowling lacked the depth to consistently trouble the batsmen. While Shahidi bowled a tight, economical spell, keeping his speeds below 80 kph and utilizing drift, the other spinners, including Kharote and part-timer Abdul Malik, erred on the leg side too often.

Gill took full advantage of this, especially after the tea break. Unleashing trademark short-arm jabs and elegant drives, the captain cruised to his 11th Test century, hitting 11 fours and a six. Meanwhile, Rahul brought up his 12th Test century with a deft flick off his pads in the 61st over. It was a gritty, determined effort that completely wore out the opposition. However, just one ball after reaching the milestone, Rahul played a loose waft off Ziaur Ahmed, slicing it straight to short extra cover to depart for exactly 100. This marked the third time in his career that Rahul has been dismissed on exactly 100 in Test cricket.

Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill Guide India to Stumps

Rishabh Pant, playing in his landmark 50th Test match, joined Gill with a clear mandate to negotiate the final hour safely. Displaying unusual restraint initially, Pant bided his time. However, his explosive nature couldn’t be contained for long. In the 68th over, facing the part-time off-spin of Abdul Malik, Pant launched three massive, flat-batted sixes over the boundary.

Afghanistan opted not to take the second new ball, choosing instead to bowl through to stumps with a worn-out ball. Gill completed his masterly century in the 83rd over with a flick to square leg off Saleem. On the penultimate ball of the day, Pant brought up his half-century off 70 balls, leaving India in complete command at 368 for 3 at stumps. The visitors face a daunting task on Day 2 as the pitch promises to deteriorate further.