IND vs AFG Test: Rahul, Gill hundreds put India in dominant position after opening day

In the prickling summer heat of New Chandigarh, it was the Indian batters who sapped the most out of the Afghanistan bowlers, taking their team to 368 for three at the end of day one in the one-off Test at the New PCA Stadium on Saturday.

K.L. Rahul (100, 165b, 11×4) channelled his orthodox range for a 164-ball century and Shubman Gill added charm to his hometown Test with an unbeaten 103 off 143 as India subjected Afghanistan to a long toil on the field.

The first hour was a forced application of the orthodox playbook from India’s openers. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal tempered the anticipation of an aggressive start and paid their dues in front of Ziaur Rahman Sharifi and Azmatullah Omarzai.

IND vs AFG, Day 1 – As it happened

Yet India would have gotten off on the wrong foot had Afghanistan held onto its chances. Jaiswal’s edge off Omarzai was shelled by Abdul Malik at gully. In the 10th over, Rahul’s feeble attempt at a cut shot took a feather to the keeper. Yet, Sharifi’s plea for a review wasn’t backed by his teammates, who were left to rue their lapse after it was revealed on the big screen.

Jaiswal’s tame dismissal, getting strangled down leg to Saleem Safi on 24, was a momentary window for Afghanistan to pounce upon, but it was swiftly shut down by B. Sai Sudharsan.

The India No. 3 was gifted half-volleys on his pads and he put his wrists to work in picking three boundaries with his flick shot. He could have been debutant Nangeyalia Kharote’s maiden wicket had his edge not been dropped by Rahmanullah Gurbaz at slip.

A change in gears was imminent with Rahul hopping out to debutant Nangeyalia Kharote in the first over after the Lunch break. Sudharsan turned to his languid sweep shot to pick spinners Kharote and Malik through the on-side.

Sudharsan was handed a second life on 59 when his edge off Sharifi burst through the keeper Afsar Zazai’s left hand. Sudharsan added 22 more by the time Zazai grabbed a similar chance off Safi, thus ending the 139-run second-wicket partnership.

The wicket spurred Safi to test Gill with a bouncer but saw his attempt pummelled through square leg. Rahul had no need to exert this much and his boundaries were gentle nudges through fine-leg or slashes on wide deliveries.

Subtlety had no room with Rishabh Pant’s arrival, which came just one ball after Rahul completed his century and lobbed a drive to short cover.

Pant hammered three on-sided sixes to Malik in one over after an uncharacteristic series of defences. Gill matched the intensity by peppering boundaries in the ‘V’ off pacers’ over-pitched deliveries. Even though Afghanistan spread the field in the final hour, the early burst in the third session was enough to canter to an 11th Test hundred off 138 balls.

By stumps, Gill and Pant’s alliance was worth 121 runs, leaving Afghanistan weary and staring at a bleak outlook.

Published on Jun 06, 2026