India Dominates Afghanistan with Stellar Centuries from Rahul and Gill

India's Batting Brilliance on Display

Mullanpur: On the opening day of the one-off Test match, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill showcased their batting prowess, leading India to a commanding score of 368 for three against Afghanistan. Rahul's century came off 165 balls, emphasizing a solid defensive technique, while Gill's aggressive 103 off 143 balls highlighted his intent to dominate the bowlers.

Gill's batting style resembled that of a practice match, as he effortlessly handled the Afghan bowlers, striking 11 boundaries and a six. This innings marked his 11th Test century in just his 41st match.

Sai Sudharsan, who scored 81 runs off 104 balls, missed out on a century despite receiving two chances, while Rishabh Pant contributed with an explosive half-century, hitting three sixes in just 70 balls.

India is expected to declare their innings soon, likely after a session and a half on the second day, unleashing their spin bowlers on the Afghan team. The pitch appears to favor spin, suggesting that the match may not extend for long.

For Afghanistan, Mohammad Saleem was their most effective bowler, taking 267 runs in 13 overs, while Ziaur Rahman, despite his 161 runs in 15 overs, posed challenges to the Indian batsmen.

Rahul, who was nearly dismissed early on, capitalized on his luck to score his 12th Test century, showcasing a variety of elegant shots including cover drives and straight drives.

Sudharsan, who was dropped twice, looked comfortable against the pace attack but fell short of his maiden Test century when he was caught off Saleem's delivery.

The partnership between Gill and Pant was particularly entertaining, adding 121 runs for the fourth wicket and further exhausting the Afghan bowlers under the intense North Indian sun.

Afghanistan's spin attack struggled, as their top spinners were absent, leaving Kharote and Malik unable to contain the Indian batsmen, who struck 42 fours and 4 sixes throughout the day.