Manav Suthar’s dream test debut concluded with India registering their biggest test victory – by an innings and 300 runs against Afghanistan – inside three days of the one-off test in New Chandigarh on Monday.
The hosts piled up 564-8 before declaring their first innings and unleashing their spin-heavy attack on Afghanistan.
Left-arm spinner Suthar claimed 6-33 as India bundled out Afghanistan for 152 in the first innings before enforcing the follow-on.
Indian off-spinner Washington Sundar (4-36) did most of the damage in Afghanistan’s second innings as the visitors folded for 112. Sharafuddin Ashraf did not bat with a quad injury.
Earlier, Afghanistan lost their last five wickets in the morning session of the third day itself after resuming their first innings on 113-5.
Rahmat Shah (60) led their resistance in the first innings with a composed knock that included nine fours and a six.
Suthar, who had already removed Ashraf caught behind, bowled Rahmat round the legs to complete a five-wicket haul. He also sent back Mohammad Saleem in the same over.
Afghanistan wilted after barely crossing the 150-mark but their openers had to walk out to bat again after India captain Shubman Gill decided to enforce the follow-on.
Seamer Mohammed Siraj trapped opener Abdul Malik for eight but Sediqullah Atal (42) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (24) decided to counter-attack.
Kuldeep Yadav (3-30) cut short Gurbaz’s run-a-ball knock and Rahmat (13) also threw away his wicket trying to go after spinner Sundar.
Yadav removed Nangeyalia Kharote and Saleem off successive deliveries – both batters fell to rash strokes – to seal India’s victory on a frenetic day when 14 Afghan wickets tumbled.
(Reuters)
