India crushed Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs in the one-off Test in New Chandigarh. India declared their first innings at 564/8, powered by superb centuries from KL Rahul (100) and Shubman Gill (126). Sai Sudharsan (81), Rishabh Pant (81) and Washington Sundar (52*) also scored half-centuries.

In reply, Afghanistan were bowled out cheaply for 152 in their first innings. Only Rahmat Shah (60) offered some resistance. Manav Suthar (6/33) and Prasidh Krishna (3/37) wrapped up the innings quickly.

Afghanistan were forced to follow on. In the second innings, Washington Sundar (4/36) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/30) again put the visitors under pressure, bowling them out for 112. Sediqullah Atal showed brief resistance against the Indian bowlers.

The victory was India's biggest-ever Test win by an innings and runs margin.

Suthar Stars on Dream Test Debut

Afghanistan started the third day already in deep trouble. Making his Test debut, Manav Suthar resumed with three wickets to his name and continued to trouble the batters with clever spin and variation. While the pitch had become easier for batting, Suthar still managed to extract enough turn and deception to dismantle the lower order.

He finished with outstanding figures of 6 for 33, the third-best bowling figures by an Indian on Test debut. His spell bowled Afghanistan out for just 152 in their first innings.

India immediately enforced the follow-on, forcing Afghanistan to bat again while trailing by 412 runs.

Rahmat Shah Fights Lone Battle

Among Afghanistan’s batters, Rahmat Shah showed the most resistance. He played patiently and reached a determined half-century from 100 balls. For more than an hour and a half, he frustrated India’s bowlers and looked set to build a larger innings.

However, Suthar broke through again. Rahmat attempted an ambitious sweep shot but was beaten as the ball spun in and hit the stumps. His dismissal became Suthar’s fifth wicket of the innings and effectively ended Afghanistan’s hopes of posting a competitive total.

Later, Suthar claimed his sixth wicket when Mohammad Saleem was trapped lbw. The dismissal created some debate because the delivery appeared to pitch outside leg stump. Saleem chose not to review the decision and showed visible frustration as he walked back to the pavilion.

Prasidh Krishna and Siraj Provide Early Breakthroughs

Prasidh Krishna partnered Suthar effectively at the start of the day. Using his height and bounce, he consistently hit back-of-a-length areas and troubled the batters.

He struck early when Azmatullah Omarzai edged a ball back onto his stumps after it jagged in sharply.

Mohammed Siraj also bowled a tidy spell, conceding only five runs in three overs. One memorable moment came when he reviewed an lbw appeal despite a clear inside edge, creating a light-hearted moment during the session.

Spin Trio Takes Control

As the innings progressed, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav joined the attack. Initially, neither spinner looked particularly threatening compared to Suthar.

Sharafuddin Ashraf struggled with a groin injury and found movement difficult. Kuldeep exploited the situation by tempting him forward repeatedly. When Suthar returned, he took advantage of Ashraf’s limited footwork and induced an edge behind the wicket.

Washington then claimed the final wicket of Afghanistan’s first innings when Ziaur Rahman attempted a big shot across the line. Rishabh Pant completed the catch comfortably.

Afghanistan Tries to Counterattack

In the second innings, Afghanistan changed their approach. Sediqullah Atal led the charge by frequently advancing down the pitch against Suthar. Before tea, he struck the debutant for a six and a four, attempting to disrupt his rhythm.

Atal scored 42 and briefly gave Afghanistan some momentum. Although the aggressive tactic pushed Suthar off his preferred lengths, the damage had already been done by India’s massive first-innings advantage.

Washington Sundar Takes Centre Stage

While Suthar dominated the first innings, Washington became the key spinner in the second. Rather than relying on sharp turn, he used drift and subtle variations through the air. Afghanistan’s batters tried to attack him just as Atal had done, but Washington responded intelligently and finished with impressive figures of 4 for 36.

Kuldeep, meanwhile, struggled to find consistent lines but continued tossing the ball up and tempting batters into risky strokes.

Afghanistan’s Middle Order Falls Apart

India’s bowlers kept applying pressure after lunch. Siraj removed opener Abdul Malik, who had spent 40 balls scoring just eight runs. A delivery that moved back into the batter trapped him in front. Rahmanullah Gurbaz looked dangerous while scoring 24 from only 23 deliveries. He attacked the tiring spin attack confidently but eventually mistimed a shot against Kuldeep and was caught at long-on.

Rahmat Shah, Afghanistan’s most dependable batter in the match, then charged down the pitch to Washington and was caught at wide mid-off. Soon after, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi edged a tentative push outside off stump to Shubman Gill at first slip. Washington’s disciplined line outside off stump earned him another important wicket.

Atal’s Dismissal Ends Afghanistan’s Resistance

Afghanistan’s hopes faded completely on the final ball before tea. Atal, who had shown patience and determination throughout his innings, attempted an ambitious lofted drive against Washington. Instead of clearing the field, he hit the ball directly to point and departed for 42.

His wicket effectively ended any remaining resistance from the visitors.

Lower Order Swings and Misses

After tea, Afghanistan’s lower order showed little interest in survival. Instead, the batters attacked aggressively in search of quick runs. Suthar added another wicket when he trapped Afsar Zazai lbw during a defensive stroke.

Azmatullah Omarzai, Nangeyalia Kharote and Mohammad Saleem all fell while attempting big shots. The end came when Saleem edged a lofted attempt to Sai Sudharsan at cover.

That catch sealed a crushing innings victory for India, completing a record-breaking triumph by an innings and 300 runs and underlining the hosts’ complete dominance throughout the match.