IND vs AFG: Only Test, Day 2, Review- Historic match proves to be a steep learning curve for Afghanistan

The first day was mostly about rain and the Indian batsman’s domination over Afghanistan at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay made the day look much better than it actually was. Following their partnership, the team lost quite a few wickets and never was able to end the day the way they wished to.

The second day was all about Ajinkya Rahane’s men, they didn’t only win the match, but displayed why they are the number one ranked team in Tests. It took India a couple of seasons to bowl the visitors out twice. Asghar Stanikzai’s men looked hapless in front of the formidable bowling lineup. India eventually won the match by an innings and 262 runs, most importantly, without dropping a sweat.

Hardik Pandya guides India

The hosts resumed the day on 347/6 and with their nose a tad ahead following the close of play. Hardik Pandya and Ravichandran Ashwin resumed proceedings for India on the second day. The latter couldn’t carry on and became Yamin Ahmadzai’s third wicket. However, Ravindra Jadeja and Pandya notched a partnership of 67 runs and took their team over the 400-run mark.

Pandya didn’t have an overwhelming time in the last of his few international matches, but today he showed resilience and carved a gutsy half-century. He scored 71 runs from 94 balls with 10 boundaries. Jadeja turned out to be an appropriate foil for the all-rounder and smacked a couple of boundaries in his innings. Mohammad Nabi broke the stand when Jadeja, unsuccessfully, tried to clear long off.

To the Afghans delight, Wafadar nipped out Hardik in the very next over. The batsman tried to ramp the ball away only to nick the ball into Afsar Zazai’s safe pair of gloves behind the wicket. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Yadav added 34 vital runs for the tenth wicket. Umesh flayed his willow and raced away to 26 runs. India eventually were bundled out for 474 runs as Rashid got the final wicket of Ishant.

Ashwin and Co rips apart visitors

The second session turned out to be a nightmare for the visiting team. Mohammad Shahzad and Javed Ahmadi became the first openers for the nation in Test cricket. The former started with a couple of thumping boundaries to kick-start proceedings. Nevertheless, Pandya churned out a stupendous throw from point which rattled the stumps to find Shahzad short of his crease.

Stanikzai’s men lost their second opener- Ahmadi- when Ishant cleaned him up. Rahmat Shah promised with two boundaries early on but was trapped in front by Umesh. Zazai became Ishant’s second victim as he lost his middle-stump to the lanky fast-bowler from Delhi. A lot depended on skipper Stanikzai in order fo the Afghans to resurrect their rattled start.

However, he couldn’t survive the heat and perished to Ashwin’s guile for 11 runs. The spin duo of Jadeja and Ashwin skitted Afghanistan out for 109 runs in the 28th over. Nabi with a knock of 24 runs tried to garner some momentum for them. Unfortunately, an ugly hoick from him off the off-spinner led to his dismissal. The Tamil Nadu-cricketer nipped out four wickets while Jadeja finished with a couple.

India complete thumping triumph

Having trailed by 365 runs in the first innings, Rahane had no hesitation to impose the follow-on. The start was pretty similar to their first innings. Shahzad blazed away with three fours and became the opening victim of Umesh Yadav. Javed Ahmadi, Mohammad Nabi, and Rahmat Shah went in quick succession and the visitors found themselves in the doldrums.

Nabi was promoted courtesy of his experience, but the move floundered as he was dismissed by Yadav. Hashmatullah Shahidi and Stanikzai brought some sanity back into their innings with a partnership of 37 runs. Stanikzai played 13 dot balls and ran out of patience. Subsequently, he flung his bat only to give his wicket away to Jadeja, who finished with four wickets.

Shahidi at the other end looked solid and determined not to throw his wicket away. Wickets kept tumbling from the other end and the helpless Afghans were shot out for 103 runs. Jadeja picked four and was the wrecker in chief. Meanwhile, they became the third team to be bowled out twice on one day. The defeat is definitely a learning curve for the debutants as a new chapter of their cricket saw the daylight.

Brief Scores

India: 474 all out in 104.5 overs; (Shikhar Dhawan 107, Murali Vijay 105; Yamin Ahmadzai 3/51, Wafadar 2/100)

Afghanistan: 109 all out in 27.5 overs; (Mohammad Nabi 24, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 15; Ravichandran Ashwin 4/27, Ravindra Jadeja 2/18)

Afghanistan: 103 all out in 38.4 overs (follow-on); (Hashmatullah Shahidi 36, Asghar Stanikzai 25; Ravindra Jadeja 4/17, Umesh Yadav 3/26)

India beat Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs

Player of the Match: Shikhar Dhawan