Shubman Gill Shines as India Takes Command in Test Against Afghanistan
Shubman Gill Reaches Significant Test Milestones
During the One-off Test against Afghanistan at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Shubman Gill achieved the remarkable feat of scoring 1,000 Test runs as captain. This accomplishment makes him the 11th Indian player to reach this milestone, and he did so in just 15 innings, making him the second-fastest Indian captain to achieve this, following Sunil Gavaskar, who accomplished it in 14 innings. Additionally, Gill reached this landmark in a record time of 351 days, the shortest duration for an Indian captain to amass 1,000 runs in Test cricket.
Captaincy Records in Test Cricket
Among Indian captains, Virat Kohli holds the record for the most centuries, with 20 hundreds in 113 innings. Sunil Gavaskar follows with 11 centuries in 74 innings, while Mohammad Azharuddin has 9 in 78 innings. Sachin Tendulkar scored 7 centuries in 43 innings, and now Shubman Gill has 6 centuries in just 15 innings.
Rishabh Pant Celebrates 50th Test Match
In another highlight, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant celebrated his 50th Test appearance. Among Indian wicketkeepers, only MS Dhoni (90) and Syed Kirmani (88) have played more Tests.
India Dominates Day 1 with Gill and Rahul's Centuries
On Day 1 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, India established a strong position, finishing at 368 for 3 after 85 overs. Shubman Gill remained unbeaten with 103 runs, while KL Rahul also scored a century. Rishabh Pant contributed a solid 50, showcasing India's dominance over the Afghan bowling attack. Mohammad Saleem Safi took two wickets, and Ziaur Rahman Sharifi claimed one.
After winning the toss, India opted to bat, starting with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The duo provided a steady opening, with Jaiswal hitting a boundary off Ziaur Rahman Sharifi in the first over. This match featured six left-handed batsmen, marking only the third instance of such a lineup in a Test match, following two Tests against South Africa last year. Afghanistan made an early breakthrough when Safi dismissed Jaiswal for 24 runs off 32 balls, caught by the wicketkeeper. Sai Sudharsan replaced him, forming a 55-run partnership with Rahul, leaving India at 96 for 1 at lunch.
In the second session, Rahul and Gill continued to build their innings, adding 113 runs for the loss of one wicket, bringing the score to 209 for 2. Rahul reached his 21st Test fifty, while Sudharsan scored his third Test half-century before being dismissed for 81 by Safi. Gill remained at the crease, anchoring the innings.
During the third session, Rahul achieved his 12th Test century off 164 balls but was dismissed on the next delivery, caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, ending a 67-run partnership with Gill. Despite this setback, Gill and Pant maintained India's momentum, with Gill completing his ninth Test half-century shortly after. The pair propelled India past the 300-run mark, with Pant hitting three sixes off Abdul Malik in the 68th over.
Gill reached his century in the 83rd over, marking his 11th Test hundred and sixth as captain. Pant also completed his half-century in the final over of the day. India concluded Day 1 at 368 for 3, with Gill not out at 103 off 143 balls and Pant remaining at 50 from 70 deliveries.
Brief Score
Brief score: India 368/3 (Shubman Gill 103*, KL Rahul 100; Mohammad Saleem Safi 2/67) vs Afghanistan.