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IND vs AFG Test: Centuries from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul headline India's dominance on opening day

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IND vs AFG 1st Test Day 1 Highlights

Shubman Gill and KL Rahul (Source: BCCI)

Mr Cricket UAE Staff

Mr Cricket UAE Staff

Published - 06 Jun 2026, 03:51 PM Read time - 3 mins

Team India enjoyed a pleasant return to Test cricket after a hiatus of six months as they piled up a massive score of 368/3 against Afghanistan at the end of day 1 of the ongoing only red-ball game at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.

India handed out the debut cap No. 319 to Rajasthan's slow left-arm orthodox bowler Manav Suthar, whereas Afghanistan presented Nangeyalia Kharote with his maiden Test cap.

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India skipper Shubman Gill was fortunate with the coin flip and chose to bat after his Afghan counterpart, Hashmatullah Shahidi, called it wrong. India got off to a positive start with Yashasvi Jaiswal teeing off with a flurry of boundaries. KL Rahul took a bit of time to get his eyes in and seemed very nonchalant about his stroke play.

Jaiswal was hard done by after he got a tickle to an innocuous delivery down the leg side from medium pacer Mohammad Saleem and departed for a 32-ball 24. In walked Sai Sudharsan, who had received a solid backing from head coach Gautam Gambhir on the eve of the Test. It reflected in Sudharsan's approach as he looked decisive in his footwork.

Sudharsan added 139 runs for the second wicket with Rahul. The left and right combination frustrated the Afghan skipper as he kept making changes to his field. Sudharsan was more fluent of the two batters as he smashed 13 boundaries in his innings and batted at a strike rate of 77.88.

Sudharsan failed to time a juicy half-volley from Saleem and got a thick outside edge, which was held safely by the wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai.

While wickets tumbled around him, Rahul batted with his quintessential focus and brought up his 12th Test ton. He fell against the run of play as his attempted expansive drive found Rahmanullah Gurbaz at short extra cover.

Gill looked in his elements as he struck a magnificent hundred and added an unbeaten 121-run stand for the fourth wicket with wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant. Gill remained unbeaten on 103 with the help of 11 fours and a six.

Pant showed glimpses of his robust self as he powered his way to a half-century. Pant reminded how dangerous he can be in whites as he smacked off-spinner Abdul Malik for three sixes in one over. With the conditions ideal for batting, Pant may race to his ton soon on day 2.

Saleem and Ziaur Rahman were the only ones who found success on an otherwise uneventful day for the tourists.

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