IND vs AFG Test, Day 2: Manav's dream debut leaves Afghanistan reeling

India tightened their grip on the one-off Test against Afghanistan as debutant Manav Suthar produced a superb spell of left-arm spin to leave the visitors struggling at 113/5 at stumps on Day 2.

 

After declaring their first innings at a commanding 564/8, India struck regularly with the ball, with Suthar claiming three wickets and Prasidh Krishna adding two. Afghanistan finished the day still trailing by 451 runs, with the young spinner emerging as the standout performer.

 

Earlier, Rishabh Pant's fluent 81 and Washington Sundar's unbeaten half-century helped India extend their dominance before captain Shubman Gill called the innings closed.

 

India pile on the runs before declaration

Resuming the day in a strong position, India continued to build on the platform laid by skipper Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Gill added just 12 runs to his overnight score before falling for 126, edging Mohammad Saleem after a well-crafted innings that anchored India's batting effort.

 

Dhruv Jurel looked positive during his brief stay, striking a few attractive boundaries before Saleem produced a reverse-moving delivery to bowl him for 19. Rishabh Pant then took charge, combining aggression with restraint during an entertaining knock of 81 off 121 deliveries. The wicketkeeper-batter mixed his trademark strokeplay with greater patience, hitting six fours and three sixes before falling while attempting an aerial shot against debutant spinner Nangeyalia Kharote.

 

Washington Sundar ensured India maintained momentum in the latter stages of the innings. The all-rounder calmly rotated strike and punished loose deliveries on his way to an unbeaten half-century. He shared a valuable 54-run partnership with Manav Suthar, who contributed 28 useful runs, before Gill declared at 564/8.

Saleem shines despite Afghanistan's struggles

While Afghanistan spent most of the day on the defensive, pacer Mohammad Saleem produced a commendable effort in difficult conditions. Bowling long spells in sweltering heat, he finished with six wickets and was rewarded for consistently troubling India's batters.

 

Saleem removed Gill, Jurel and several lower-order batters to complete a memorable six-wicket haul. Azmatullah Omarzai also bowled with discipline and generated movement with the newer ball, although luck deserted him on multiple occasions as edges failed to carry to fielders. 

Suthar announces himself on Test stage

The biggest talking point of the day was the performance of debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar. Introduced shortly before tea, the Rajasthan youngster immediately made an impact by dismissing opener Abdul Malik for his first breakthrough in Test cricket.

 

Suthar impressed with his ability to extract drift, bounce and turn while maintaining remarkable control over his length. Operating with a classical action and high release point, he consistently challenged Afghanistan's batters by varying the amount of turn from the same area on the pitch.

 

His second wicket came through Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who was drawn into an error after Suthar cleverly mixed deliveries that went straight with those that turned away. The edge was safely taken at second slip. The spinner then added Afsar Zazai to his tally when a mistimed leading edge offered a simple return catch.

Gill backs young spinner with extended spell

Recognising Suthar's rhythm and control, captain Shubman Gill entrusted the debutant with a lengthy spell from one end. Suthar bowled unchanged for 13 overs, allowing him to settle into the contest and build pressure on Afghanistan's batting line-up.

 

While Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav rotated from the opposite end, Suthar continued probing away with impressive consistency. His figures of 3/21 from 15.5 overs reflected both his control and wicket-taking threat.

Afghanistan face uphill battle

Afghanistan's batting struggled to cope with India's disciplined attack after losing half their side before the close of play. Prasidh Krishna chipped in with two important wickets, while Suthar's breakthroughs prevented any meaningful partnerships from developing.

 

At 113/5 and still 451 runs behind India's first-innings total, Afghanistan will need a significant effort from their lower middle order to avoid conceding a massive deficit when play resumes on Day 3.