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- IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 1: KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan slam fifties as India dominate Afghanistan
IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 1: KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan slam fifties as India dominate Afghanistan
India fielded six left-handed batters in the playing XI, only the third time they have done so, having previously featured the same number of southpaws in both Tests against South Africa last year. However, Afghanistan's seamers ensured the hosts had to work hard for their runs on a surface that offered little assistance to the bowlers.
Following Shubman Gill's decision to bat first, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul laid a solid foundation. Jaiswal set the tone with a boundary in the first over but was unable to convert his start into a bigger contribution. Mohammad Saleem Safi provided Afghanistan with the breakthrough on the final ball of the 12th over, inducing an edge behind from the left-hander, who made 24 from 32 balls.
Sai Sudharsan, entrusted with a longer rope at No. 3, made an assured start and joined Rahul in blunting the Afghanistan attack. The pair stitched together an unbeaten stand of 55 runs from 78 deliveries, frustrating the visitors after the early success.
At the break, Rahul was batting on 37 and Sudharsan on 32, with India comfortably placed at 96/1 after 25 overs. Saleem Safi's dismissal of Jaiswal remained Afghanistan's lone reward for an otherwise disciplined effort with the ball.
Playing XIs:
India XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (w), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Afghanistan XI: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Afsar Zazai (w), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi.
... DAY 1, SESSION 2 ...
Looking ahead - Afghanistan's spinners were able to find a bit of grip and turn from the surface, and perhaps they could have been a touch more aggressive with their field placements. By allowing India's batters easy singles down the ground, they relieved much of the pressure that had been built up. Whether Afghanistan make that change in the afternoon session remains to be seen. Given the oppressive heat, short and sharp spells from the seamers will likely be the order of the day. The second session will commence at 12.10 pm IST (6.40 am GMT). See you then!
Tale post the opening exchanges - Yashasvi Jaiswal was the first to fall, handing Mohammad Saleem his maiden Test wicket. Jaiswal's departure brought Sai Sudharsan to the crease. Unlike KL Rahul, who initially found timing the ball a challenge, Sudharsan looked more assured from the outset. The left-hander did enjoy a slice of fortune, though, when Rahmanullah Gurbaz put down a tough chance on 20.
The opening session goes India's way - The talk from Hashmatullah Shahidi after losing the toss was about starting well, and while the visitors may have only one wicket to show for their efforts, they did not bowl as badly as the scoreboard might suggest. There was not a great deal of assistance on offer from the surface, but to their credit, Afghanistan's new-ball attack started impressively. Ziaur Rahman, in particular, looked threatening. By going wide of the crease and creating that inward angle into the right-hander, he consistently had KL Rahul in two minds. In fact, he even created a genuine opportunity when Rahul nicked one behind while on 16, but Afghanistan opted against the review and the chance went begging.
- Sai Sudharsan 32 (49)
- KL Rahul 37 (70)
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Yorker, around off, Sai Sudharsan jams this out. That will be Lunch on Day 1.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Tossed up, on middle and off, Sai Sudharsan pats this back to the bowler.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, Full and on off, Sai Sudharsan solidly keeps it out.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Sai Sudharsan, A shade on the good length area, around off, Sai Sudharsan comes onto his front foot and blocks this off his gloves rather than the bat.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Loopy delivery, around the crease on middle and leg. KL Rahul drills this down to long on for a single.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to KL Rahul, Tossed up, around off, KL Rahul presses close to the ball and blocks it.
- Sai Sudharsan 32 (45)
- KL Rahul 36 (68)
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Full and on off, Sai Sudharsan dead bats it.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Short of a length, around off, turning away from the batter. Sai Sudharsan gets up on his toes and punches this to extra cover.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Pushed through on middle and off, KL Rahul pushes this down to long on for one.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Abdul bowls this around the nagging length, on middle and leg, Sai Sudharsan tucks this through mid-wicket for a single.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Full and wide outside off, Sai Sudharsan leaves it.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Put away! Short of a length, on middle and off, does keep a tad low. Sai Sudharsan pulls this off his back foot, but the bottom hand comes off the handle. The ball races to the deep mid-wicket fence for four. The 50-run stand comes up with this boundary.
- KL Rahul 35 (67)
- Sai Sudharsan 27 (40)
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, Kharote drifts this into Rahul, around off. The batter offers an angled bat and runs this towards the third man region for two.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Quicker and flatter on middle and off, Sai Sudharsan punches this down to long on for a single.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Pushed through on the pads, Sai Sudharsan nudges this to mid-wicket.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Fired onto the pads, Sai Sudharsan rolls his wrists and tucks this to short fine leg.
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, Flighted this time, from Nangeyalia Kharote. Rahul pushes this down to long off for a single.
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, Fuller around off, KL Rahul drives this to extra cover for no run.
- Sai Sudharsan 26 (37)
- KL Rahul 32 (64)
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Darted into the batter, Sai tucks this to mid-wicket.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, NO BALL! Tosses it up, around off, Sai Sudharsan drives this to covers. The siren goes around as Abdul has overstepped here.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Fuller around off, Sai Sudharsan leaves it.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Sai is playing the risky game by going onto his back foot on this track. A bit more air, not all that short and on off, Sai Sudharsan rocks back and tucks this to mid-wicket.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Tossed up, around off, Sai Sudharsan defends this underneath his eyeline.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Fuller on off, Sai Sudharsan blocks this out.
Abdul Malik to Sai Sudharsan, Too risky from Sai. Quicker one, around off, Sai Sudharsan backs away, exposes his off stump and cuts, but silly point gets in the way.
- KL Rahul 32 (64)
- Sai Sudharsan 26 (30)
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, FOUR! Up and over. Flighted, around middle and leg, KL Rahul clears his front foot, plants it towards the leg side and lofts this behind the mid on fielder for a boundary. This was more from the inside portion of the bat.
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, Full and on off, KL Rahul pushes this to covers.
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, Kharote drags his length back, on off, KL Rahul defends this one.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Tossed up, on middle and leg, Sai Sudharsan flicks this down to long on for a single.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Fuller and flatter, around off, Sai Sudharsan comes onto his front foot and dead bats it.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Fired around off, Sai Sudharsan rocks back inside his crease and blocks this one.
- KL Rahul 28 (61)
- Sai Sudharsan 25 (27)
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Wristy from Rahul. Tossed up, on middle and off, KL Rahul rolls his wrists, closes his bat face and works this towards short leg.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Full and on off, KL Rahul defends this towards the leg side.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Tossed up, on middle and leg, KL Rahul tucks this on the bounce to short leg.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Quicker one, on off, KL Rahul defends this out.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Pushed through on off, KL Rahul works this a bit aerially towards the mid-wicket region but well short of the catching fielder. A touch of grip here for Abdul Malik.
Abdul Malik to KL Rahul, Fuller, around off, KL Rahul flicks this through the mid-wicket region for a couple of runs.
It will be spin from both ends as Abdul Malik will bowl his off-breaks now.
- Sai Sudharsan 25 (27)
- KL Rahul 26 (55)
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! A boundary to end the over. Not a bad start to Kharote's Test career, despite going for 8 runs. Flighted, around off, Sai Sudharsan goes down on his knee and sweeps this in front of square towards the deep mid-wicket region for a boundary.
Nangeyalia Kharote to KL Rahul, Floated onto the pads, KL Rahul tucks this through the empty pocket towards fine leg. Rahmanullah Gurbaz goes after it from first slip and hauls it in. Three runs taken.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, DROPPED! Sai Sudharsan is dropped on 20 by Rahmanullah Gurbaz at first slip. Straight one, wide of off, Sudharsan presses onto his front foot and goes for a block, but the ball catches the outside edge. It goes low to Gurbaz at slip, who sticks out the right hand. Gurbaz gets fingertips to it, but cannot pouch this. A single taken.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Quicker one, wide of off, Sai Sudharsan offers nothing at it.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Floated wide outside off, Sai Sudharsan leaves it.
Nangeyalia Kharote to Sai Sudharsan, Fuller one, turning back into the batter. Sai Sudharsan rocks back and blocks this towards the leg side.
With about 25 minutes left for the Lunch break, we will have the first look at spin. It will be the debutant left-arm finger spinner, Nangeyalia Kharote.
- Sai Sudharsan 20 (22)
- KL Rahul 23 (54)
Mohammad Saleem to Sai Sudharsan, Good length, on the pads, Sai Sudharsan gets up on his toes while hopping back inside the crease and flicks this through square leg for a single.
After captain Shubman Gill opted to bat, India made a positive start through Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul. Jaiswal got off the mark with a crisp boundary off Ziaur Rahman Sharifi in the opening over, but Afghanistan's bowlers maintained tight lines and prevented the hosts from scoring freely.
The visitors earned a deserved breakthrough in the 12th over when Mohammad Saleem Safi induced an edge from Jaiswal, who departed for 24 off 32 balls after a promising start. The dismissal brought Sai Sudharsan to the crease, and the left-hander quickly settled in alongside the experienced Rahul.
The duo ensured there were no further setbacks before lunch, adding an unbeaten 55 runs for the second wicket from 78 deliveries. Rahul looked composed on 37 not out, while Sudharsan was unbeaten on 32 as India reached 96/1 after 25 overs.
Saleem Safi was the lone wicket-taker for Afghanistan, finishing the session with figures of 1/27 as the visitors searched for more breakthroughs.
