Dominant Suthar six-for rolls Afghanistan over for 152, India Enforce Follow-On
Afghanistan 152 (Rahmat 60, Suthar 6-33, Prasidh 3-37) trail India 564 for 8 dec (Gill 126, Rahul 100, Saleem 6-140) by 412 runs
Manav Suthar truly bowled on a different plane on day three in New Chandigarh. His promising debut spell on the previous afternoon, which yielded three crucial wickets, blossomed into a phenomenal, extended performance. Suthar concluded with an outstanding six for 33, dismantling Afghanistan for a mere 152 and paving the way for India to enforce the follow-on, asserting a dominant position in the match.
Suthar’s Dominance: A Dream Spell Unfolds
The left-arm spinner resumed the day with a single delivery remaining in his over and immediately showcased his prowess. Despite maintaining speeds of around 90 kph throughout the session, Suthar consistently found the ball gripping and turning, a stark contrast to the challenges faced by other bowlers. The pitch, which appeared to flatten out for Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav as the session progressed, offering minimal spin, seemed to respond uniquely to Suthar’s touch. His ability to extract turn and bounce made him a constant threat, causing considerable trouble for the Afghan batsmen.
Suthar’s wickets were crucial and came at pivotal moments. He expertly spun one past Sharafuddin Ashraf, rattling his stumps. He then accounted for Rahmat Shah, the linchpin of Afghanistan’s brief resistance, bowling him around his legs with an expansive sweep attempt. Finally, Mohammad Saleem became his ninth victim. This dismissal, however, stirred some controversy, as Suthar had pitched the delivery outside leg. Saleem, for reasons unknown, chose not to review the decision and was visibly agitated in the dugout upon his return, highlighting the fine margins of the game.
Afghanistan’s Resistance Crumbles: Rahmat Shah’s Lone Fight
For the initial hour and a half of play, Rahmat Shah stood as the solitary figure of resistance for Afghanistan. His stoic half-century, achieved off 100 balls, was a testament to his grit under immense pressure. Afghanistan’s target to make India bat again was a distant 365, a mark that remained far out of reach despite Rahmat’s determined effort. Once Suthar dismissed him, he was the eighth wicket to fall, and India swiftly wrapped up the innings in less than two overs, demonstrating the brittle nature of the Afghan batting lineup once their anchor was gone.
Early Breakthroughs and Supporting Acts
The day’s first breakthrough arrived within six overs, not from Suthar, but from the other end. The tall fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, utilising his height and the angles off the pitch, stuck to a disciplined line of back-of-a-length deliveries. While Rahmat Shah patiently left deliveries too far outside off, the new batter Azmatullah Omarzai succumbed to Krishna’s relentless pressure. Omarzai, attempting to waft at a wide delivery, left a significant gap between bat and ball. Krishna capitalised, getting the ball to jag back in, catching the inside edge, and sending Omarzai back to the pavilion.
Later, Siraj delivered a tight three-over spell for just five runs, though it included a moment of misjudgment when he reviewed a clear inside-edge into the pads for an lbw. Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav subsequently bowled in tandem, but initially struggled to replicate Suthar’s impact. Kuldeep, in particular, hesitated to impart significant revs on the ball, leading to a period where both bowlers appeared less threatening compared to Suthar’s exceptional spell. However, Ashraf, visibly hampered by a groin injury, found it increasingly difficult to bat. Kuldeep began to toss up balls that required Ashraf to step out and deadbat. Seizing this opportunity, Suthar returned to exploit Ashraf’s limited reach, inducing an edge behind the stumps.
Washington Sundar eventually claimed the final wicket of the innings, dismissing Ziaur who attempted a forceful swipe across the line. The alert Pant completed the catch, bringing Afghanistan’s first innings to a close. Facing a massive deficit of 412 runs, Afghanistan were immediately sent back out to bat, a challenging prospect that underscored India’s overwhelming control of the match.
