Manav Suthar delivered a debut spell that will be talked about for years. The left-arm spinner finished with 6 for 33 as India bowled Afghanistan out for 152 and enforced the follow-on at the one-off Test in New Chandigarh. By lunch on day three, Afghanistan had reached 18 for no loss in their second innings but still trailed by 394 runs after India’s declaration at 564 for 8.
Shubman Gill’s 126 and KL Rahul’s 100 had set the platform. Mohammad Saleem took 6 for 140 for Afghanistan, but once India declared, the focus shifted to Suthar and the rest of the attack.
| Team / Innings | Score | Key Performers |
|---|---|---|
| India 1st Innings | 564/8 dec | Gill 126, Rahul 100, Washington Sundar 52* |
| Afghanistan 1st Innings | 152 all out | Rahmat Shah 60, Suthar 6-33, Prasidh Krishna 3-37 |
| Afghanistan 2nd Innings (at lunch, day 3) | 18/0 | Atal 16*, Malik 2* |
| India Lead | 394 runs | Follow-on enforced |
The Heat, the Pitch, and Suthar’s Grip
High temperatures baked the Mullanpur surface. The pitch had flattened since the first two days, offering far less assistance to Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav. Yet Suthar kept finding turn and bounce at a consistent 90 kph. He resumed the morning with one ball left in his over and immediately looked threatening.
That control proved decisive. Afghanistan needed to reach 365 just to make India bat again. Rahmat Shah tried to drag them close, but the required runs always felt distant once Suthar found his rhythm.
Rahmat Shah’s Fighting Half-Century
For the opening 90 minutes, Rahmat Shah stood alone as Afghanistan’s main source of resistance. He played with discipline, leaving deliveries outside off and defending stoutly. The experienced batter brought up a gritty half-century off 100 balls — Afghanistan’s first Test fifty against India in this contest.
Suthar eventually broke through. He tossed one up, got it to grip, and bowled Rahmat around his legs as the batter attempted an expansive sweep. The eighth wicket fell, and India needed less than two overs to finish the innings.
Prasidh Krishna had already made the early breakthrough. He banged the ball in short of a length, used the angles, and found Azmatullah Omarzai wafting at a wide delivery. The ball jagged back, took the inside edge, and Pant did the rest.
Sharp Bowling, Sharp Reviews, and One That Got Away
Siraj bowled a tight three-over spell for just five runs and reviewed a clear inside edge that was correctly turned down. Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav operated in tandem but found less purchase than Suthar. Kuldeep floated a few that Ashraf had to step out and dead-bat.
Ashraf battled a visible groin injury throughout. Suthar exploited the limited footwork and had him edging behind. Later, Washington induced a wild swipe from Ziaur Rahman. Pant ran in to complete a sharp catch and wrap up the innings.
One dismissal stood out for the wrong reasons. Suthar trapped Saleem in front, pitching outside leg. Saleem did not review and walked back animated. Earlier, Suthar himself had an lbw shout on resumption that pitched outside off. His more experienced teammates wisely talked him out of reviewing it.
Follow-On Begins With Fresh Intent
Afghanistan emerged for the follow-on with noticeably more positive intent. Openers Sediqullah Atal and Abdul Malik took the attack to Suthar right away. Atal in particular looked to dominate, striking boundaries in the first four overs as the score moved to 18 without loss.
The deficit stood at 394 runs. India’s bowlers had done their job in the first innings. Now the target was simple — finish the job quickly in the second innings and secure a comprehensive victory inside four days.
Suthar’s debut had already moved from promising to historic. On a day when conditions favored the batters more than the spinners, the 23-year-old from Rajasthan kept finding ways to make the ball talk. India’s control of the match felt total.