India ended their first innings at 564-8 on the second day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, with captain Shubman Gill leading the charge through a fluent 126. Afghanistan pacer Mohammad Saleem then turned the day with six wickets, including his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as the visitors fought back in New Chandigarh.
Gill and Rishabh Pant shaped the heart of India’s innings with a 169-run stand for the fourth wicket. Pant made 81, while Washington Sundar remained unbeaten on 52 when India decided to declare in the second session.
Gill and Pant build a commanding platform
India resumed on 368-3 and kept control through a long partnership that put pressure on Afghanistan’s attack. Gill, who had been 103 not out overnight, brought up his century before falling after reaching 126, while Pant looked set for a hundred before he was caught at long-off.
Saleem removed Gill with a delivery that held its line and later dismissed Pant as India’s middle order kept pushing the score upward. The Afghanistan quick bowled with pace throughout the innings and regularly operated above 140 kmph, according to the match details.
Saleem’s six-wicket burst changes the tone
The 23-year-old Saleem had already taken two wickets on Saturday and added four more on the second day to finish with six. He got India’s batters out in different phases of the innings and earned praise for his consistency in just his second Test.
Saleem’s celebration after reaching his five-wicket haul reflected the significance of the moment. He touched his forehead on the ground after dismissing Suthar for 28, underlining a breakthrough performance for Afghanistan in difficult conditions.
Late runs from Sundar and Siraj lift India further
India still found useful lower-order runs after the Gill-Pant stand ended. Sundar played a composed hand, while Mohammed Siraj added an aggressive 22 from 12 balls to stretch the total well past 500.
Siraj attacked debutant left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote with a four and two sixes in one over before Saleem eventually ended the innings. Those late runs proved valuable even as Afghanistan kept taking wickets in clusters.
Afghanistan’s missed reviews add to the cost
Afghanistan’s task became harder because of several missed opportunities with the umpire decision review system. Gill survived a key lbw appeal from Azmatullah Omarzai, and ball-tracking later suggested the ball would have hit leg stump.
Pant also escaped on the next ball after another appeal was turned down, with technology showing a faint edge that Afghanistan did not challenge. Earlier in the match, KL Rahul also survived a review opportunity that could have removed him for 16 before he went on to score 100.
Afghanistan reply begins cautiously
Afghanistan reached 28-1 before tea after debutant Indian spinner dismissed Abdul Malik for 16, leaving Sediqullah Atal unbeaten on 11. The early loss gave India a useful opening after a long day of batting and a late declaration.
India still hold a strong position after a dominant first innings, but Saleem’s six wickets gave Afghanistan a lift and ensured the Test remained alive as the visitors began their reply.
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