IND Vs AFG Highlights, One-Off Test Day 2: Afghanistan Lose Half Their Side, Still Trail By 451 Runs

Hello, we’re back for Day 2 of the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan. Stay tuned for live updates.

The India vs Afghanistan one-off Test match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website.

Day 2 gets underway with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant resuming India’s innings after a dominant opening day. Ziaur Rahman Sharifi starts with control, drifting one too straight and Gill immediately pounces, clipping it off his pads for a couple to get going.

He then settles in with a composed forward defence, as Afghanistan look to tighten their lines early in the morning session.

Azmatullah Omarzai hits Shubman Gill on the pad and goes up in a loud LBW appeal straightaway, confident and animated. Afghanistan think they’ve got their man, but there’s confusion in the field as Afsar Zazai hesitates again on the review.

No review taken, and replays show they’ve missed a big one, with ball tracking confirming it was smashing into leg stump. A second missed opportunity for Afghanistan, and Omarzai’s smart setup, mixing away swingers before bringing one back in, nearly pays off.

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi serves it short and wide, and Shubman Gill wastes no time. He rocks back, gets on top of the bounce, and crunches the cut square of the wicket, pure timing, no real movement needed. It races away before the deep point fielder can even think about cutting it off. Four more to Gill.

Saleem Safi fires one down the leg side and there’s a stifled LBW appeal as Rishabh Pant misses the tuck for pace, struck around the thigh pad on its way through. The umpire isn’t interested, pitching well outside leg, and the batters sneak a leg bye to keep the scoreboard moving.

Shubman Gill is gone, and that’s a massive breakthrough for Afghanistan. A back-of-a-length delivery with a hint of away movement, Gill goes for the punch off the back foot but doesn’t get it right. He ends up with a thick outside edge, and Afsar Zazai makes no mistake behind the stumps, pouching it cleanly.

Safi hits the deck hard, extracts extra bounce, and finally gets the reward he’s been hunting all morning. Afghanistan’s persistence pays off after being frustrated earlier by missed chances. A brilliant knock from Gill comes to an end at 126 off 177 balls, packed with control, timing, and authority.

Hashmatullah Shahidi removes Rishabh Pant! Pant steps out to attack the flighted delivery but mistimes it as the ball grips and turns, sending a top edge high toward mid-off. Azmatullah Omarzai charges in from the deep and takes a calm, well-judged catch. Pant goes for 81 off 121 as Afghanistan strike again in a strong phase.

Afghanistan finally enjoyed their best session of the match, picking up three wickets while conceding 107 runs. Mohammad Saleem Safi led the fightback by dismissing Shubman Gill and forcing Dhruv Jurel into a mistake, while Hashmatullah Shahidi accounted for Rishabh Pant.

The visitors could have had even more success after two missed review opportunities, including an LBW chance against Gill and an edge from Pant. Despite the setbacks, India remain firmly in control at 475/6 after 110 overs, though the movement for seamers and turn for spinners suggest Afghanistan could still have a say in the contest.

The post-lunch session begins with India eyeing the 500-run mark, and Manav Suthar wastes no time showing intent. He dances down the track to Hashmatullah Shahidi and launches him straight back over his head for six, the first maximum of Suthar's Test career. What a start to the session.

Saleem Safi nearly strikes. Washington Sundar looks to play the ball late outside off and gets a faint bottom edge that drops short of slip. For a moment it seemed like an outside edge, but replays show it came off the bottom of the bat. A close call as Afghanistan continue to ask questions.

Manav Suthar gently pushes a length delivery from Azmatullah Omarzai towards cover-point and sets off for a quick single. Afghanistan then gift India an extra run with an overthrow at the striker's end, allowing the hosts to add two runs from a seemingly harmless shot.

Mohammad Saleem Safi has his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket! The seamer tempts Manav Suthar with a full delivery outside off, and the left-hander falls into the trap, edging a drive through to Afsar Zazai behind the stumps.

Safi drops to the ground in celebration, touching his forehead to the turf before offering a prayer, a fitting moment after a superb spell of fast bowling. Suthar’s entertaining knock ends on 28 off 41 balls, and Safi has a well-deserved five-for.

A moment of drama, but it comes to nothing for Afghanistan. Nangeyalia Kharote tosses one up outside off and Mohammed Siraj swings hard across the line, completely missing the ball.

There’s a half-hearted appeal for a catch behind, yet Hashmatullah Shahidi decides to take the review. Replays quickly confirm there was no bat involved, Siraj was nowhere near it. The review is lost, and with it Afghanistan burn their final referral of the innings.

Mohammad Saleem Safi finishes it in style. A touch of reverse swing brings the ball back in, Mohammed Siraj clears his front leg looking for another big hit, but misses completely.

The ball crashes into middle stump and sends it cartwheeling, ending Siraj’s entertaining cameo. Safi celebrates with a Superman punch as Afghanistan finally wrap up the innings. Siraj departs for a brisk 22 off 12 balls, packed with attacking intent.

Shubman Gill has declared India’s innings at 564/8 in 127 overs, the second-highest Test total against Afghanistan. India added quick runs in the post-lunch session, with Manav Suthar striking a couple of sixes before becoming Mohammad Saleem Safi’s fifth victim.

Mohammed Siraj then provided late fireworks with a rapid 22 off 12 balls, while Washington Sundar brought up a composed half-century. Safi finished with a superb six-wicket haul, but Afghanistan now face a daunting task against a massive Indian total.

It's chase time in New Chandigarh! Abdul Malik and Sediqullah Atal walk out to begin Afghanistan's reply to India's imposing 564/8 declared. Abdul Malik will face the first ball, while Mohammed Siraj has the new ball in hand and is ready to charge in. Here we go.

Sediqullah Atal gets Afghanistan underway with a streaky boundary. Mohammed Siraj finds the outside edge again with one angled across, but the ball stays low and races along the ground through the slip cordon.

KL Rahul throws himself to his left at second slip but can't get a hand to it, and the ball runs away for four. There’s a brief scare as Rahul lands awkwardly and clutches his hand, but he quickly recovers and is good to continue.

Manav Suthar has his first Test wicket, and what a moment it is for the young spinner. Abdul Malik, troubled by the sharp turn on offer, decides to take the sweep route but only manages a top edge.

The ball balloons behind the wicket, creating a moment of uncertainty as KL Rahul charges across from slip and Mohammed Siraj rushes in from backward square. Siraj keeps his eyes on it and completes a low catch despite the brief confusion.

The celebrations begin immediately, with Rishabh Pant leading the charge to congratulate Suthar on a memorable maiden Test wicket. Malik departs for 16, and India have their first breakthrough.

Afghanistan reached 28/1 at tea but lost the crucial wicket of Abdul Malik in a brief final session before the break. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna found little assistance with the new ball, though Siraj regularly tested Sediqullah Atal outside off.

Shubman Gill then turned to debutant Manav Suthar, and the left-arm spinner made an immediate impact, dismissing Malik for his maiden Test wicket. With Suthar already generating significant turn and India still holding Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar in reserve, Afghanistan face a stern examination against spin in the final session.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz takes the attack to Manav Suthar. The spinner tosses one up around middle and leg, and Gurbaz quickly gets down on one knee before unleashing a powerful slog sweep over deep square leg. The ball flies flat and hard into the stands for six, a statement shot from the Afghanistan batter.

Manav Suthar drifts one onto the pads and Rahmanullah Gurbaz calmly works it away through mid-wicket, picking up a comfortable single to keep the scoreboard ticking over.  A little turn around middle and Rahmanullah Gurbaz looks to defend, gets an outside edge towards 2nd slip and Sudharsan stationed there takes a sharp low catch. Rahmanullah Gurbaz stands there disappointed, but he has to unfortunately take the long way back to the dressing room

Afghanistan deal another blow and it's a big one this time. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the one who falls as with it they lose their third wicket. Debutant Manav Suthar gets the second wicket of his career.

Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi have stitched a small 33-run stand for the fourth wicket to stabilize Afghanistan's innings after the early jolts. The hosts need to pile a big partnership, if they want to give some competition to India as they still trail by a massive 471 runs.

That's the end of Day 2 of the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan.  Afsar Zazai dismisses Afsar Zazai to get the fifth Afghani batter out. India remained firmly in control of the contest after their batters laid a strong foundation and powered the team to 564 before the declaration. The bowlers then backed up the effort, with debutant Manav Suthar leading the charge with an impressive performance.

That's a wrap! That's a wrap from our end. We'll be back with another blog soon, until then, bye bye.