Shubman Gill Celebrates Historic Test Victory Over Afghanistan

In a stunning display of cricket, Indian captain Shubman Gill led his team to a record-breaking victory over Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs. With impressive centuries from Gill and KL Rahul, and exceptional bowling from spinners, India aims to consistently post high scores in future matches. Gill highlighted the importance of experience and strategy as the team transitions under his leadership. This victory, while monumental, does not impact India's standing in the ICC World Test Championship. Read on to discover more about this historic match and Gill's insights on the team's performance.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 9, 2026, 02:19 IST

India's Dominant Win in Test Match

In New Chandigarh, Indian captain Shubman Gill expressed his delight following a resounding victory against Afghanistan in a one-off Test match. The team aims to consistently achieve scores between 350 and 400 runs.

With impressive centuries from Gill and KL Rahul, along with outstanding performances from spinners Manav Suthar and Washington Sundar, India secured a remarkable win by an innings and 300 runs, marking their largest victory in Test history.

During the post-match presentation, Gill described the win as a "complete" success, stating, "I’m very pleased with the outcome. Regarding the follow-on decision, it was quite hot. We aimed to dismiss them before lunch or shortly after the first drinks break. If our bowlers were fresh, we would enforce the follow-on; otherwise, we would bat for a couple of sessions and reassess later. Fortunately, we took quick wickets and our fast bowlers performed admirably, with Siraj claiming a crucial wicket during the follow-on and Prasidh taking three vital wickets."

Discussing the spin trio of Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and debutant Manav Suthar, who collectively took six wickets in the first innings, Gill remarked, "The quality of Manav, Washi, and Kuldeep is unquestionable. It’s about gaining experience and learning how to set up batsmen on such pitches by varying pace and testing them in different areas."

Gill emphasized the importance of scoring 350 or more runs when batting first, especially as the team undergoes a transition under his leadership. He stated, "We have confidence in our bowling unit to take 20 wickets anywhere. During transitions, the batting group often feels more pressure, and we are focused on gaining experience and determining what strategies work best for us in various conditions and situations. Our goal is to consistently post totals of 350-400 runs."

After centuries from Rahul (100 runs off 165 balls, including 11 fours) and Gill (126 runs off 177 balls, featuring 15 fours and a six), India declared their first innings at a formidable 564/8. The exceptional bowling from Suthar (6/33) and Sundar (4/36) led to Afghanistan being bowled out for 152 and 112 in their innings. However, since this match was not part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, it will not affect India's current sixth position in the WTC standings.