India claim 14 wickets on Day 3 to pocket one-off Test win against Afghanistan

A stunning display from the Indian bowlers, claiming 14 wickets on the third day of the Test against Afghanistan to secure a monumental win for the hosts in the one-off Test in Mullanpur. In fact, Shubman Gill and company chronicled their biggest win of all time in Test cricket.

Starting Day 3 with Afghanistan reduced to 113/5, India maintained their dominance. Prasidh Krishna struck the first blow, claiming the scalp of Azamtullah Omarzai (0). An incoming Sharafuddin Ashraf (11) tried to knit together a stand of resistance alongside Rahmat Shah but eventually succumbed to Manav Suthar.

The fall of Ashraf led to the opening of the floodgates and the Indian bowlers wasted no time cleaning up the remainder of the Afghan batting. Rahmat (60) was finally undone by the star of the lot for India, Manav Suthar. India bundled out the visitors for 152 in the second innings, securing a staggering lead of 412 runs.

Manav Suthar registered figures of 22-10-33-6, supported by Prasidh Krishna who claimed three wickets. Gill enforced the follow-on, hoping to close out the Test early. Gill’s decision worked out perfectly for the hosts as the Indian bowlers hunkered down to business from the word ‘go’.

After Manav Suthar’s brilliance in the opening innings, the spin duo of Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav came together. Despite a solid start from Sediqullah Atal (42), Mohammed Siraj put an end to the struggling knock of Abdul Malik (8). Rahmanullah Gurbaz (24) did knit together a decent enough stand of 32 runs for the second wicket alongside Atal.

However, Kuldeep Yadav claiming Gurbaz led to the dissipation of the entire Afghan batting unit as India forced a collapse from the visitors. Washington Sundar claimed four wickets while Yadav registered three next to his name as India bundled out Afghanistan for 112. Suthar and Siraj claimed a wicket apiece as the hosts secured a win by an innings and 300 runs.

Manav Suthar claimed the Player of the Match award for his haul of seven wickets.

Brief scores:

India – 564/8 (Shubman Gill – 126, KL Rahul 100, Mohammad Saleem – 6/140)

Afghanistan – 152 (Rahman Shah – 60, Manav Suthar – 6/33)

Afghanistan (f/o) – 112 (Sediqullah Atal – 42, Washington Sundar – 4/36, Kuldeep Yadav – 3/30)

India won by an innings and 300 runs.