Witness the thrilling action as Manav Suthar’s 3-21 puts Afghanistan on the back foot in the only Test against India. Read the full match report now!
A Day of Absolute Dominance for the Hosts in New Chandigarh
The second day of the historic Only Test match at the beautiful, newly unveiled stadium in New Chandigarh proved to be a display of flawless, high-octane cricket by the Indian national team. Resuming their first innings from an already formidable overnight score of 368 for 3, the host nation put on a batting masterclass before their bowling attack systematically dismantled the top tier of Afghanistan’s batting lineup. By the time the umpires lifted the bails for stumps on Day 2, India had established an iron-clad position of absolute command.
See also: Gill and Rahul Smash Centuries on Day 1 in Chandigarh
After declaring their monumental first innings at a staggering 564 for 8, the Indian bowlers wasted no time in exploiting the changing afternoon conditions. Under a clear, hot sky, they ripped through Afghanistan’s defenses, leaving the visitors reeling at 113 for 5. Afghanistan now trails India by a massive 451 runs heading into the third morning. With the pitch already showing signs of variable bounce and sharp turn, the visiting team faces an incredibly steep uphill battle to avoid a heavy, innings-margin defeat.
Centurions’ Parade: Shubman Gill
The morning session belonged entirely to India’s elite batting engine room. Local hero Shubman Gill, who walked out to the crease to a roaring reception on his overnight score of 103, continued his rich vein of international form. Gill played with magnificent technical precision, executing a series of trademark short-arm jabs and elegant cover drives. He added an authoritative 23 runs to his tally before eventually falling for a masterfully constructed 126. His stellar knock was beautifully insulated by wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who rapidly converted his overnight half-century into a brisk, boundary-laden innings to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Amidst the heavy run-scoring, young Afghan fast bowler Saleem Safi emerged as the lone, heroic fighter for the visitors. Bowling with tireless energy across long, exhausting spells, Saleem claimed a magnificent career-best 6 for 140, single-handedly preventing India from pushing their final total well past the 600-run mark.
Spin Web: Manav Suthar Dismantles Afghanistan’s Top Order
With a mountain of 564 runs on the scoreboard, Indian captain Shubman Gill felt entirely comfortable declaring the innings, handing a brand-new ball to his eager bowling unit. The tactical decision reaped immediate rewards as the Indian pace and spin combinations choked out Afghanistan’s opening partnerships right from the first over. Tall fast bowler Prasidh Krishna used his extra height to generate steep, awkward bounce off the seam, striking early to remove top-order batsmen Zadran and Shahidi to finish a fiery opening spell with exceptional figures of 2 for 27.
However, the true star of the final session was breakout young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar. Operating with an abundance of confidence on a surface that was starting to offer sharp, biting turns, Suthar spun a tight defensive web around the Afghan middle order. He bowled with relentless tracking accuracy, hitting the perfect line and length over after over. Suthar ripped through the defense of dangerous all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and trapped Ikram Alikhil leg-before, returning a devastating, match-altering spell of 3 for 21 from his overs to leave the visiting dressing room in complete disarray.
Rahmat Shah Fights a Lonely Battle Heading into Day 3
As the shadows lengthened across the New Chandigarh ground, the lone bright spot of resistance for the beleaguered Afghan side came from the blade of veteran batsman Rahmat Shah. Walking into an absolute pressure-cooker scenario with his team falling apart at 48 for 4, Rahmat displayed tremendous psychological resolve and defensive grit.
Refusing to throw caution to the wind against the spinning ball, the experienced right-hander constructed a fighting, unbeaten 43. Rahmat hit a series of crisp boundaries against the pacers, anchoring the tail end to ensure Afghanistan survived the final, tense overs of the evening without suffering a total structural collapse.
When play resumes tomorrow morning, Rahmat will carry the monumental weight of his country’s hopes on his shoulders. India’s hunting pack of bowlers will look to wrap up the remaining five wickets as quickly as possible to enforce the follow-on, while Afghanistan needs a sports miracle just to navigate their way past the initial session on Day 3.
