IND vs AFG Live Score, India vs Afghanistan One-Off Test Match Day 3

Of the key answers that India were pursuing with purpose this week, one arrived on the second afternoon of the one-off Test in New Chandigarh. It would have taken nothing less than a miracle for Afghanistan to silence the Indian batters once captain Shubman Gill had decided to bat first on the opening morning. Predictably, they failed, saved in part from the painful fielding exercise with an Indian declaration coming at 567 for eight after 127 overs on day two.

Minutes before tea, the Indian management were teased with a sequence that would have helped tick a vital box of the fourth spinner before the World Test Championship (WTC) assignments resume in Sri Lanka in two months. (Read more)

Prasidh has been taken out of the attack here. It is interesting that apart from that opening burst, Shubman Gill has used him in shorter bursts. Again, here he bowled for about 30 minutes, and Mohammed Siraj has come into the attack. Yesterday, Siraj could not get his length right; either he was too full to start with or too short, which let the Afghan openers get a few runs. However, so far, the first four deliveries Siraj started well. He has been given a slip, so he must operate in that stump-to-stump channel, and if the ball does something, he is very good at reversing.

It was a hard length delivery from Prasidh, which Omarzai held with an angled bat and got the inside edge onto the stumps. Again, it is the length which has done the trick on the wicket. As per Omarzai, he could have left that delivery, but to be fair to him, he did do a lot of bowling yesterday and had to come out to bat today. It was a bit of a nothing shot from him rather lapse of concentration. As we update, Rahmat Shah scored a half-century here. What a fabulous innings this has been from him. He looked so tidy at the crease and seemed to have all the game and temperament to become a good Test batter.

Suthar has started well here once again. One thing Afghanistan has not been able to do yesterday is to rotate strike against Suthar. If they can manage to do that, Suthar will have to constantly change his line and length, which might force a few errors in his accuracy. Maybe a better-skilled batting lineup would have done something like that. As we update, Rahmat danced down the track against Suthar to drive him for a boundary. A few more of those, and it will be interesting to see how Suthar responds. As we update, Krishna has picked up Omarzai.

Prasidh has taken the ball from one end. The ball is about 40 overs old, and it might reverse a bit. It has been very hot, and the square saw a lot of cricket through the summer. Manav Suthar is resuming from the other end. There will be some moisture in the early part of the day, and both Suthar and Krishna might get some moment of the surface at least for the first hour. If Afghanistan manages to get through those opening overs, they can capitalise on it. Although it is day 3, apart from an oddball here and there, for the most part, the wicket has played pretty nicely.

Thank you so much sir. My focus during the spell seemed to be on bowling in the right areas and backing my strengths. The wicket was helping, so my effort was to bowl in the right areas and hit the right length as consistently as possible. (When did you learn that you were making your debut?) I found out only in the morning when we arrived at the ground. (But you were prepared?) Yes, sir. (Could you tell us a little more about what those strengths are?) The focus was simple. The wicket was offering some help and my strength is getting the ball to turn. So my aim was to extract as much turn as possible because the pitch was assisting. At the same time, I wanted to keep bowling in good areas and hit the ideal length consistently, because that was where the help was coming from. That was my entire focus. (Could you tell us about your journey from domestic cricket to India team?) My journey started in domestic cricket, from Under-19 and then the Ranji Trophy. It has been very good and very special. Playing for India is a dream for everyone, and I am extremely happy to have received my cap. (Did having Gill - his IPL captain - help him?) Yes, possibly. Since we’ve played together, he understands my strengths and my bowling well. Based on that, he guides me regarding field placements, match situations, and the lines and lengths I should bowl.

Suryakumar Yadav may have lost captaincy of the Indian T20I team, and possibly his place in the side as well, on Saturday but seemed to have no qualms in congratulating Shreyas Iyer, with whom he has shared dressing rooms in domestic cricket for many a year, and wishing 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi well ahead of India’s tours of Ireland and England.

Suryakumar’s time as India captain came to an end on Friday with chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia announcing Iyer as the new incumbent in a role. “Very happy that a Mumbaikar is going to lead in T20I. Wishing you all the luck. Boys are super amazing. They will definitely respond well to your ideas,” said Suryakumar in a post on his Instagram stories along with a pic of him hugging Iyer. (Read more)

"I feel amazing. I remember the first Test which I was not part of the test match and I was watching on the TV. Yeah, it just was a dream to play against India in India in Test cricket. Finally, I'm here. Very excited for this game, yeah. (How has been the preparation like?) Been very nice. From the last one and a half months, we were practicing in Afghanistan and then we came here early a little bit and then we had a good practice session here in Chandigarh as well that I think we are very well prepared and looking for a good game. (Switching from T20s to Test) Good question. Actually, it's a learning for us. We are not that well experienced in Test cricket, which I think in Test cricket, you really need experience and test experience, actually. I think it's a good learning for us and also we had a very good camp and we had a very good red ball practice. I think mentally, physically, we are well prepared and the way we practiced and the way the boys are ready, I think we are very ready to fight and at the same time, we just need to be looking for a good game to play a good cricket game. And yeah, it's a new challenge for me, but as a cricketer, I don't need to make excuses and I'm well prepared to play a good cricket. (What's the conversation like with Pybus?) He's such a nice man. He's an encouraged guy and I think he's a very well supporter for all of us. It's our first tour with him and hopefully we keep continuing the good memories which we had before. And yeah, his knowledge is more than our age. I think we are lucky to have a coach like him and hopefully we learn so much things from him."

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