India sealed the Test by an innings and 300 runs inside three days as they completed a rout of Afghanistan in the one-off affair at Mullanpur. The hosts put up an all-round show, debutant and spinner Manav Suthar spearheading a disciplined spin attack that bundled out Afghanistan twice in the day.
Afghanistan started the third day on 113 for 5, following on and needing an improbable effort just to avoid defeat as they trailed by a massive 451 runs. The Indian bowlers quickly forced a vice-like grip on the match. Visitors were under pressure after Krishna and Suthar struck early.
Afghanistan’s last line of defence was Rahmat Shah. This allowed the experienced batter to settle in, scoring a half century despite a lot of toil and resistance before being dismissed for 60. But wickets fell around him at regular intervals. Having looked classy in his first Test, Suthar had Rahmat out as his fifth victim before taking the wicket of over-by-over Rubbing Salami to finish with a career-best six for 61. In their first innings, Afghanistan were bowled out for just 152 and had to follow-on.
The visitors were more purposeful with the bat in their second innings, and rightly so. At the top, openers Abdul Malik and Sediqullah Atal gave them a good start with 42 runs for the first wicket. Malik settled down to defend while Atal looked more free flowing and kept the score board ticking.
Atal then added some more valuable runs with wicketkeeper-batter Ramanullah Gurbaz after Malik’s wicket. Gurbaz gave an entertaining account of 24 off 24 (3 fours, 1 six), as Afghanistan instigated a brief challenge to the Indian bowlers.
As soon as Kuldeep Yadav separated the pair, the match tilted rapidly in Indias favour once again. With Atal dismissed for 42, Afghanistan’s batting order subsequently fell back into a spin against India’s slow workers. Only Rahmat Shah managed to get into double figures; the middle and lower order simply crumbled.
Washington Sundar was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 36 runs while Kuldeep also took three wickets. Afghanistan, in their second innings, however folded for miserably 112.
The emphatic victory emphasised India’s control of the Test, and in it 51.3 overs of outstanding bowling from Manav Suthar, playing his debut match with six wickets was a major contributor to one of the most emphatic Test wins India ever had
