New Chandigarh, India — On Saturday, India showcased a strong performance on the opening day of their one-off Test match against Afghanistan. The team finished at 368 runs for the loss of 3 wickets, with captain Shubman Gill and Lokesh Rahul both scoring centuries.
Gill made an impressive 103 runs off 143 balls and remained not out, while Rahul hit exactly 100 runs from 165 balls after India won the toss at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, which is now the 31st Test cricket venue in India.
Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed 24 runs alongside Rahul, forming a partnership of 41 runs for the first wicket before Jaiswal was dismissed by Mohammad Saleem.
Rahul had a fortunate moment when an edge went unnoticed by the umpire, allowing him to continue his innings and ultimately post his 12th Test century before he was caught at extra cover by Ziaur Rahman. He hit 11 boundaries during his innings, and along with Sai Sudharsan, they added 139 runs for the second wicket.
Sudharsan scored 81 runs off 104 balls, which included 13 fours. He fell to Saleem shortly before tea. Gill then joined forces with Rishabh Pant, adding 121 runs in 148 balls, before the day’s play concluded.
Gill’s century featured 11 fours and a six, while Pant contributed an unbeaten 50 runs, hitting three sixes. This match marks only the second Test between India and Afghanistan, with their first encounter occurring in 2018, where India won decisively by an innings and 262 runs.
For Afghanistan, this is their 13th Test match, and it’s worth noting that no points will be awarded toward the World Test Championship from this game.
