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India moved within touching distance of a comprehensive victory in the one-off Test against Afghanistan as the visitors slumped to 98/5 in their second innings at tea on Day 3 after being forced to follow on at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Monday.
Afghanistan, trailing by 412 runs after being bowled out for 152 in their first innings, lost half their side in the second essay and still require 314 more runs to make India bat again. India's bowlers maintained relentless pressure throughout the second session, with Washington Sundar leading the charge by claiming three crucial wickets. Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with one wicket apiece to leave Afghanistan in deep trouble. Siraj struck first by trapping Abdul Malik LBW, providing India with the breakthrough after Afghanistan had made a positive start. Kuldeep then removed the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored a brisk 24 featuring three boundaries and a six, with Prasidh Krishna completing the catch at long-on. Sundar further dented Afghanistan's resistance by dismissing Rahmat Shah for 13 before removing captain Hashmatullah Shahidi for five. The off-spinner struck again just before the tea interval, accounting for opener Sediqullah Atal, who top-scored with 42. Earlier in the day, debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar starred with a sensational six-wicket haul as India bundled Afghanistan out for 152 in their first innings and enforced the follow-on. Resuming the morning at 113/5, Afghanistan were unable to recover from the overnight damage. Prasidh Krishna removed Azmatullah Omarzai early before Suthar ran through the lower order, finishing with outstanding figures of 6/33 in 22 overs. The 23-year-old Rajasthan spinner dismissed Sharafuddin Ashraf (11), ended Rahmat Shah's resistance after the batter's gritty 60 off 135 balls, and completed a memorable five-wicket haul on Test debut. He later trapped Mohammad Saleem Safi leg-before and wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Ziaur Rahman Sharifi. Suthar's figures are the second-best by an Indian bowler on Test debut, behind Narendra Hirwani's 8/61 against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988. He also became the 10th Indian bowler and seventh spinner from the country to claim a five-wicket haul in his maiden Test appearance. With Afghanistan five wickets away from defeat and still facing a substantial deficit, India head into the final session firmly in control and on course for victory inside three days. (ANI)
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