The surface in Mullanpur changed quite a bit on the second day of the India vs Afghanistan one-off Test. On the opening day, the hosts battered the visitors. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill scored hundreds, and Rishabh Pant registered a half-century as just 3 wickets fell in 85 overs. With no problems, India managed to go at 4.32 runs per over.
Bowlers take control in Mullanpur
In contrast, the second day challenged batters more. Afghanistan took the new ball in the second over of the day, at 86.4 overs. Gill fell on 127 and Dhruv Jurel on 19, as Mohammad Saleem Safi caught fire. Rishabh Pant too departed in the opening session. There was a bit more turn on offer, and there was movement with the new ball.
The second ball became old early. The surface got drier and more abrasive. Reverse swing came into play earlier than expected, and Safi made full use of it. He bagged a 6-wicket haul. Washington Sundar remained unbeaten on 52, while Manav Suthar showed his batting ability with a 28-run cameo.
5-wicket hauls by Afghanistan pacers in Tests
- 7/97 – Ziaur Rahman vs Zimbabwe, Harare, 2025
- 6/140- Mohammad Saleem vs India, Mullanpur, 2026*
- 5/79 – Nijat Masood vs Zimbabwe, Mirpur, 2023
India declared at 564/8 in 127 overs. They felt the runs were enough and wanted to have a crack at Afghanistan batters. The hosts had about 25 minutes to bowl before Tea. Mohammed Siraj looked a bit jaded and was off his lines and lengths. Prasidh Krishna, who was playing his first home Test, looked better.
With an over or two left, Gill introduced debutant Suthar. We had seen the ball spin already. But what Suthar did was unexpected. He turned the ball miles and got a wicket on his 4th ball. Suthar and Prasidh continued to bowl as the last session resumed. Prasidh had been bowling in and around the stumps, and it paid off as Sediqullah Atal edged one back to his stumps.
Prasidh was rested after his 5th over, with Kuldeep Yadav coming in. He didn’t turn the ball as much as Suthar and wasn’t tight in his lines either. He was a tad unlucky as KL Rahul dropped Hashmatullah Shahidi off his bowling. But Suthar managed to get Rahmanullah Gurbaz as well. He had already had the wicketkeeper-batter in trouble and finally earned his wicket.
Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah were together for half a session before Prasidh returned, and his pace worked the trick, with the latter getting struck in front of the wicket. Suthar returned for a last spell with Washington Sundar partnering him. Rahmat and Afsar Zazai nearly played them out before Afsar somehow chipped a short ball back to Suthar, who finished with 3-fer as Afghanistan ended the second day with a trail of 451.
Cricket
The Rishabh Pant that Gautam Gambhir wanted finally showed up against Afghanistan
