Manav Suthar spins India to Test win against Afghanistan: Stats
What's the story
India thrashed Afghanistan in the one-off Test at New Chandigarh's Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. It was a straightforward affair after India racked up 564/8d, electing to bat. In response, Afghanistan were bowled out for 152, with Manav Suthar taking a historic six-fer. Upon receiving the follow-on, Afghanistan perished for 112, handing India an innings win on Day 3. Here are the stats.
India
How India's innings panned out
India has declared their only innings at a massive 564/8 on Day 2. KL Rahul (100) and Shubman Gill (126) slammed tons, while Sai Sudharsan (81), Rishabh Pant (81), and Washington Sundar (52*) shone with half-centuries. Manav Suthar also smashed a 41-ball 28 at No. 8 For Afghanistan, Mohammad Saleem Safi took six wickets. Ziaur Rahman Sharifi and Hashmatullah Shahidi scalped a wicket each.
Century
Gill's 11th Test ton
Gill raced to his 11th Test hundred, with six of those coming while leading India. Among Indian captains, only Virat Kohli (20), Sunil Gavaskar (11), Mohammad Azharuddin (9), and Sachin Tendulkar (7) have scored more Test centuries while leading the team than Gill. Overall, Gill now has 2,969 runs from 41 Tests at an average of 44.31. He also has eight half-centuries.
Milestone
Gill sets these records
Gill also became the 11th Indian to complete 1,000 Test runs as the designated skipper. More impressively, he achieved this feat in just his 15th innings as captain, making him the second-fastest Indian to reach this landmark after Sunil Gavaskar (14 innings). Gill achieved this milestone in just 351 days, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record of 405 days.
Rahul
Rahul attains these feats
Meanwhile, Rahul completed his 12th century in the format. He has now raced to 4,153 runs from 68 Tests at an average of 36.42. He has also hit 20 fifties, with his best score being 199. During his stay, Rahul also went past 1,500 runs in home Tests. With his third run, Rahul went past 9,000 runs in First-Class cricket.
Other records
Other records for Indian batters
Sai Sudharsan hammered his second 80-plus score in Tests. Overall, this was his third Test half-century. Pant, now among the three wicket-keepers with at least 50 Test caps for India, smashed a 121-ball 81. He reached his 19th half-century (100s: 8). Sundar smashed an unbeaten 52*, guiding India past 560. Playing his 18th Test, he smashed his 18th half-century.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan fold for 152
In the second innings, Afghanistan failed to settle in front of a star-studded Indian bowling attack. Prasidh Krishna and Suthar shared nine wickets, with the latter recording a six-fer. Rahmat Shah was Afghanistan's lone fighter, scoring a 135-ball 60. No other batter scored over 20 as the visitors perished for 152 in 58.4 overs. Indian Gill immediately enforced the follow-on thereafter.
Exploits
Suthar strikes in first over
Suthar brought a fresh breeze with his impeccable flight and control. He took a wicket in the very first over of his Test career, dismissing Abdul Malik. It not only marked Suthar's first Test scalp but also made him the eighth Indian to strike in the first over of their debut Test, according to ESPNcricinfo. The last Indian to achieve this feat was Tinu Yohannan against England in 2001.
Returns
Second-best figures for India in maiden Test innings
Over the next few sessions, Suthar dismissed five more batters and returned 6/33. He conceded just 33 runs in 20 overs. Suthar became the 10th Indian to take a fifer on debut. Among spinners, he is only the seventh Indian to achieve this feat. He is also now the second-best Indian bowler on debut, after Narendra Hirwani (8/61 vs West Indies in 1988).
Information
Suthar joins these players
According to Cricbuzz, Suthar is only the second Indian in the 21st century with a fifer in his maiden Test innings, joining Amit Mishra (5/71 vs Australia, 2008). Suthar is also the first Indian since Ravichandran Ashwin (in 2011) to record a six-fer on Test debut.
Outcome
Afghanistan's second innings
Afghanistan's second innings lasted a few hours. The visitors received a follow-on on the third morning, and they were skittled out for 112 just after tea. Only Sediqullah Atal (42), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (24), and Rahmat Shah (13) scored in double figures. Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav shared seven wickets, with the former taking a four-fer. Suthar added another wicket to his tally.
Information
India's biggest Test win
India won by an innings and 300 runs, their biggest in Test history. Their previous biggest win was by an innings and 272 runs, which came against West Indies in 2018 (Rajkot).