India asserted control in the one-off Test against Afghanistan by declaring their first innings at 564 for eight on day two at the PCA Stadium in Mullanpur.
Skipper Shubman Gill led from the front with a commanding 126, while KL Rahul struck a patient 100 off 165 balls. Sai Sudharsan contributed 81, and Rishabh Pant entertained with 81 before missing out on a century. Washington Sundar added an unbeaten 52, supported by Manav Suthar’s 28 and Mohammed Siraj’s quickfire 22, as India accelerated before Gill declared after 127 overs.
India resumed at 368 for three and piled pressure on Afghanistan’s bowlers. Mohammad Saleem stood out for the visitors with figures of 6/140 from 27 overs, while Ziaur Rahman and Hashmatullah Shahidi picked up one wicket each.
Afghanistan openers Abdul Malik and Sediqullah Atal now face the challenge of negotiating India’s new-ball attack on a placid surface. The visitors will need a solid start to stay competitive against India’s batting depth.
