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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.
Mohammad Saleem to Yashasvi Jaiswal, On the top of off by Saleem, Jaiswal pats it down the strip from the crease.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Dug in short at 134.8 kph, on off. KL pivots on the back foot for the pull but fails to get the timing right. He plays it to the right of mid on for one.
Mohammad Saleem to KL Rahul, Bowled into the surface and he gets a good lift off the deck, just outside off. Rahul is tucked up for room but he manages to tap it away through covers. Ziaur Rahman gives it a chase and slides to haul it in. Two runs taken.
Mohammad Saleem to Yashasvi Jaiswal, A bit more effort behind this ball, as you could hear the grunt from the bowler while delivering. On a hard length, on middle. Jaiswal hangs back for the block. It goes off the inner half square on the leg side. They cross.
Mohammad Saleem to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Hits the good length from over the wicket, on middle. Jaiswal is a bit squared up but manages to stab it beside the strip on the leg side.
A couple of boundaries for KL Rahul in this over and he will feel that the monkey is slowly getting off his back. The boundary on the final ball, in particular, will give Rahul a lot of confidence as his feet moved well and the ball raced from the middle of his bat. Mohammad Saleem replaces Azmatullah Omarzai in the attack.
- KL Rahul 13 (32)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal 15 (22)
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, FOUR! Rahul finally gets one away on the off side. Fractionally short and equally wide, enough for Rahul to cash in. KL presses back and gets on top of the bounce to punch it through covers for a four.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, This is fuller, just outside the off pole. KL gets on the front foot and defends with his bat close to the front pad.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Hurls it on a length, outside off. It is let through by KL.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, At 128.3 kph, on a back of a length, outside off. Rahul gets on his toes to ride the bounce but once again, he fails to read the pace off the surface. One hand comes off the bat handle and KL mistimes it to mid off.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Pulls the length back now, on off. Rahul hops back and punches it on the bounce to point.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, FOUR! This will help Rahul feel a little better. Rahman goes full but errs in his line, on the pads. Rahul keeps a still head and flicks it to the right of the diving mid-wicket fielder for a boundary.
- KL Rahul 5 (26)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal 15 (22)
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Shaping back into the pads, on a length. KL misses out on the tickle. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes behind on the leg side off the pads.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Rahul's struggles to find the middle of the bat continue. Omarzai serves it full, outside off. This is there to be driven away, and Rahul leans nicely but is early into the stroke. The bat turns in his hand and he mishits it to mid off.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Moving back in, on the off stump, on a good length. Rahul is solid in defence.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, A bit fuller now, on off. Rahul steers it to point.
KL Rahul has got that inside edge a few times now, hinting he is still adjusting to the bounce and pace on this deck.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, And again! Azmatullah Omarzai stays on a hard length, on off. Rahul rises with the bounce to punch it away, but the ball comes on slower than he expected. Miscues it off the inner half towards mid-wicket.
Azmatullah Omarzai to KL Rahul, Nearly chopped it back! This is on a hard length, outside off, Rahul gets on his toes to force the punch through the off side. Gets into a bit of a tangle as he gets his bat high around his chest. Chops it down off an inside edge and the ball drops at his feet.
- KL Rahul 5 (20)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal 15 (22)
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Shaping away, outside off, Rahul gets forward to the full ball and plays the square drive. Nangeyalia Kharote tumbles to his right at point but can only make a half-stop. It rolls behind, allowing the batters to cross over.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, A bit too wide, on a good length. KL leaves it all alone.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Goes fuller now and it curves back in, on off. Rahul leans forward for the block but it goes off the inner half beside the strip on the leg side.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, At 133.5 kph, on top of off, on a nagging length. Rahul covers the line and stabs it down.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Hits the length, outside off, Rahul is not interested in offering a shot.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Moving away in the air, bowled full. Rahul defends it watchfully by getting low.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal 15 (22)
- KL Rahul 4 (14)
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Half a shout for LBW! From around the wicket for the last ball, angled in on a back of a length, on middle. Jaiswal hangs back to deal with it but is beaten on the inside edge and gets hit high on the thigh pad.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Pushed across again, Yashasvi Jaiswal offers no shot.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Going away, on the fuller side. Jaiswal lets it go.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, EDGED, FOUR! A tough chance but a chance nevertheless. A lucky escape for Jaiswal. Angling away, on a back of a length. Jaiswal pushes at the ball with hard hands. It flies off a thickish outside edge to Abdul Malik at gully. Malik is in really tight and the ball comes to him at shoulder height. Abdul gets both hands to his right but the ball clips his fingertips and goes behind into the fence. Malik seems to indicate that he did not pick the ball with the stands in the background.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Just outside the off stump, on a good length. Jaiswal knows where his off stump is, covers it and makes the leave.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Hurls it on a length, on the off stump. Jaiswal defends it out.
This was a much better over from Ziaur Rahman that kept KL Rahul on his toes. A maiden for Ziaur.
- KL Rahul 4 (14)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal 11 (16)
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Oh, that could have gone back onto the stumps. Bowled on a back of a length and slanting back in from wide of the crease, outside off. Rahul is uncertain whether it will come back in or go away. He prods at it tentatively and ekes out an inside edge onto the back pad.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Angled in by going wide on the crease, fuller in length as well, just outside off. Rahul gets half-forward and thinks about dropping his bat down on the ball, but then opts against it eventually. The ball decks away to leave him.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, And again! At 133.3 kp, swinging away but not a lot of bounce, on a length. KL shoulders arms.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, This moves away, on a good length, Rahul is happy to let it go.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Beaten all ends up! Rahman hits the good length, in the corridor of uncertainty. Rahul hangs on the back foot to punch it away, but the ball jags back in off the surface to cut him in half as it goes past the inside edge.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Half a stop. Rahman hurls it full and gets the ball to curve a touch, on off. Rahul extends his hands out in front and drives it down the strip. Ziaur gets low to make the stop around his left ankle. Gets a hand on it to take the sting out of the shot and the ball dribbles towards mid off.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal 11 (16)
- KL Rahul 4 (8)
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Correction by Azmatullah as he pulls the length back, on off. Yashasvi angles it off the back foot to point.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Good shot. Omarzai pushes the length up, on off. Jaiswal lets the ball come to him and transfers the weight onto the front foot. He unleashes the drive past mid off's left for a four.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, On the shorter side, on off, Jaiswal punches it off the back foot but straight to cover.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Not close enough on the off side to make the batter play this time and it is let through by Jaiswal.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, A play and a miss! At 130.1 kph, around the off stump, on a good length. Jaiswal presses forward for the block. The ball threatens to shape back in but goes away off the deck to go past the outside edge.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Full and leaving the left-hander. Jaiswal shuffles a bit and firms the drive to mid off.
With that boundary, KL Rahul brings up 9000 first-class runs.
- KL Rahul 4 (8)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal 7 (10)
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, FOUR! Nicely clipped and Rahul is underway. Rahman dishes out a half-volley, on middle and leg. KL stays balanced at the crease and makes use of the angle. He flicks it all along the ground between mid-wicket and mid on.
Ziaur Rahman to KL Rahul, Bowled by going wide on the crease, full and slanting back in, outside off. KL extends his hands as he initially looks to push it away on the off side but then withdraws his bat.
Ziaur Rahman to Yashasvi Jaiswal, A bit straight, on the pads, Jaiswal turns this length ball through square leg for a single.
Ziaur Rahman to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Delivers it on a back of a length, on middle. Jaiswal pats it back to the bowler.
Ziaur Rahman to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Going across, full in length. Yashasvi resists the temptation of going for the drive and lets it through to the keeper.
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.
