IND vs AFG One-Off Test Day 1: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul Slam Centuries as Rishabh Pant, Sai Sudharsan Hit Fifties; India Take Control in Mullanpur

IND vs AFG Test: India finished the first day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in a commanding position at 368/3 in 85 overs on Friday after opener KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill smashed imposing hundreds and B. Sai Sudharsan impressed with a fluent 81. Afghanistan’s disciplined pace attack tested India early on after they elected to bat. Yashasvi Jaiswal was promising with five boundaries in his 24 off 32 balls. However, he was dismissed by Mohammad Saleem Safi, after he edged a leg-side delivery to wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai, leaving India at 41/1.

IND vs AFG Test Day 1: KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan given second lives

In the first five overs of the game, Rahul made it without scoring a run. Jaiswal gave Afghanistan a chance to get in front, but they let it go by before Shahidi’s big mistake. Rahul was going to be the next one out when he cut the ball in the eleventh over, wicketkeeper and fielders looked like they were sure of a catch. Rahul was like a movie villain, pretending to be innocent, while Shahidi had a confused look. Afghan fielders closed in on him as Ultraedge revealed that there was a nick In fact. Jaiswal’s dismissal shortly after allowed them to celebrate, but Rahul continued to be on the attack while Sai Sudharsan came to join him and the two were tasked with stabilizing the innings.

Sudharsan was coming into the game after a very strange end to his IPL season where he had two hit wicket dismissals. It was a tougher time in Test cricket for him because there were question marks about him being the regular No. 3. Sudharsan seemed like a different player when Gautam Gambhir decided to give him the freedom to express himself. He scored 722 runs in the IPL 2026, which no doubt helped, but he also looked more confident while batting. When an edge went past the fielders in the 19th over, he got a second chance as well. Rahul and Sudharsan ensured that India was at 104 at the lunch break.

IND vs AFG Test Day 1: Sai Sudharsan misses out on maiden ton

The second session was firmly under Rahul and Sudharsan’s control. Post lunch, the Indian opener displayed a greater level of grit and scored his 21st Test half-century, while Sudharsan continued to amaze everyone with his level-headedness even when the two men’s pace and spin came at him. As they were still going strong at 100, the left-hander cleverly kept the strike to himself and, in fact, also used the sweep shot against the spinners. Afghanistan’s bowlers, despite working tirelessly, hardly got any credit for their efforts Still Saleem Safi did create chances and also brought the element of reverse swing into the game. Rahul was fortunate enough not to have a lbw review against him when he was 59 because of a very faint inside edge. But, Sudharsan escaped another chance when a wicketkeeper dropping a diving catch caused the ball to get away through the outside edge. The end of Sudharsan’s magnificent 81 from 104 deliveries came when Saleem Safi clean bowled him after that awesome 139-run second-wicket stand which had completely turned India’s fortunes.

IND vs AFG Test Day 1: Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant puts India in driving seat in Mullanpur

Gill took up No. 4 position without any difficulty and started scoring boundaries one after another to give the team the momentum. At Tea, India was at 209/2 with Rahul 81* and Gill looking very comfortable. The last session of the day was like icing on the cake as India went further up the ladder. Rahul got his 12th Test hundred by hitting a flick for a two and he was caught behind by Gurbaz off Ziaur Rahman Sharifi when the score was exactly 100. Interestingly, this was the third time in a row he had got out right on his hundred.

Gill responded by taking over the innings, playing patient and controlled strokes. He finally got his hundred. On the other end, Rishabh Pant slowed his innings for a change and was unbeaten on 50. Together they have 100 runs so far without loss. Indian batsmen have been enjoying the conditions as well as the crowd with Gill unbeaten on 103 and Pant 50 not out.

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