One-off Test: All-round India Dominate Afghanistan To Script Biggest Test Victory (Ld)

One-off Test: All-round India dominate Afghanistan to script biggest Test victory (Ld) (Image Source: IANS)

Mohammad Saleem Safi: India completed their most dominant Test victory by margin on Sunday, crushing Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs inside three days after a commanding all-round performance spearheaded by centuries from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul and a match-winning bowling effort from debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar.

Having piled up a mammoth 564/8 before declaring their first innings, India bundled Afghanistan out for 152 and then 112 after enforcing the follow-on, surpassing their previous biggest Test victory and underlining their dominance.

The foundation for the victory was laid by India's top order after Afghanistan opted to bowl. Rahul produced a typically assured innings of 100 from 165 deliveries, weathering the early movement before taking complete control of the contest. Alongside him, captain Gill once again showcased his growing stature in Test cricket with a majestic 126 off 177 balls, striking 15 fours and a six in an innings that blended authority with elegance.

Their efforts ensured Afghanistan spent long hours in the field as India steadily tightened their grip on the match. Sai Sudharsan continued his impressive rise with a fluent 81, while Rishabh Pant entertained with an aggressive 81 that featured six boundaries and three sixes. By the time Pant departed, Afghanistan's bowlers were already under immense pressure.

Washington Sundar then provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 52, while Manav Suthar and Mohammed Siraj chipped in with useful lower-order contributions as India eventually declared on 564 for 8. The lone bright spot for Afghanistan was Mohammad Saleem Safi, who claimed 6 for 140 despite receiving little support from the rest of the attack.

Facing a mountain of runs, Afghanistan's first innings never truly gathered momentum. Opener Abdul Malik and Sediqullah Atal showed brief resistance, but wickets fell regularly as India's bowlers tightened their hold. The only substantial challenge came from Rahmat Shah, who fought a lonely battle with a determined 60 from 135 deliveries.

The innings, however, belonged to Suthar. The debutant exploited the surface expertly, varying his pace and trajectory to consistently trouble the batters. He dismissed Abdul Malik, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Afsar Zazai, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Saleem Safi to finish with outstanding figures of 6 for 33 from 22 miserly overs. Prasidh Krishna provided excellent support with 3 for 37 as Afghanistan were bowled out for 152.

With a lead of 412 runs, Gill had little hesitation in enforcing the follow-on. To Afghanistan's credit, their response was significantly more positive. Sediqullah Atal took the attack to the spinners and struck an enterprising 42, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz contributed a brisk 24 as the visitors raced to 42 without loss and briefly forced India to work harder for breakthroughs.

The opening stand represented Afghanistan's best passage of the match and momentarily delayed the inevitable. India eventually found the breakthrough through Mohammed Siraj, whose persistence was rewarded when Abdul Malik was trapped lbw. Once the first wicket fell, the innings unravelled rapidly.

Kuldeep Yadav removed the dangerous Gurbaz before Washington Sundar produced a decisive spell after tea. Sundar dismissed Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai while consistently extracting drift and turn. The off-spinner's control allowed India to tighten the screws as Afghanistan lost four wickets for just 24 runs during the middle session.

Manav Suthar added another wicket to cap a memorable debut Test, trapping Afsar Zazai lbw, while Kuldeep wrapped up the tail with three wickets, including the final dismissal of Saleem Safi. Sharafuddin Ashraf, nursing an injury, did not bat, bringing the match to a close at 112 all out in 35.5 overs.

Sundar finished with 4 for 36 in the innings and five wickets in the match to go with his valuable half-century, underlining his all-round impact. Kuldeep returned 3 for 30, while Siraj and Suthar chipped in with one wicket apiece.

The victory was India's largest in Test cricket by margin, eclipsing previous records and showcasing the depth of a side that dominated every phase of the contest. Gill's century, Rahul's hundred, valuable contributions from Sudharsan, Pant and Sundar, and Suthar's seven-wicket match haul ensured India controlled proceedings from the first session to the last.

Sundar finished with 4 for 36 in the innings and five wickets in the match to go with his valuable half-century, underlining his all-round impact. Kuldeep returned 3 for 30, while Siraj and Suthar chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Brief Scores: India 564/8 dec in 127 overs (Shubman Gill 126, KL Rahul 100, Sai Sudharsan 81, Rishabh Pant 81, Washington Sundar 52*; Mohammad Saleem Safi 6-140) beat Afghanistan 152 in 58.4 overs (Rahmat Shah 60; Manav Suthar 6-33, Prasidh Krishna 3-37) and 112 in 35.5 overs (Sediqullah Atal 42, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 24; Washington Sundar 4-36, Kuldeep Yadav 3-30, Manav Suthar 1-29) by an innings and 300 runs.

Article Source: IANS