Debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar shone on his Test debut as India secured their largest-ever Test victory by defeating Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs at the New PCA Stadium. India, after posting a massive 564/8 declared in their first innings, bowled out Afghanistan for 152 before enforcing the follow-on, ultimately dismissing them for 112 in the second innings.
India’s dominant batting display in the initial two days set the stage for their comprehensive win. Key contributions came from KL Rahul with a century, captain Shubman Gill’s 126, and valuable knocks from Sai Sudharsan (81), Rishabh Pant (81), and Washington Sundar (52*). Afghanistan struggled to cope with the pressure, with Manav Suthar’s exceptional 6/33 in the first innings being a standout performance.
Facing a daunting 412-run deficit, Afghanistan showed resilience initially, but eventually succumbed to India’s bowlers. Mohammed Siraj’s breakthrough wicket of Abdul Malik triggered a collapse, with Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav also making crucial contributions. Suthar’s heroics continued in the second innings, finishing with seven wickets in the match and securing a memorable victory for India.
