Spinners seal record breaking victory against touring Afghanistan squad
India registered the largest victory in their long history of Test cricket by crushing Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs on Monday. Playing at the newly constructed Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, the hosts wrapped up the contest inside three days. This landmark stadium became the latest center to host international red-ball cricket in India, and the surface immediately favored local spin talent. Shubman Gill successfully marked his home-ground captaincy debut by putting on a clinic in ruthless execution.
After declaring a formidable first-innings total of 564/8, the Indian bowling unit took complete charge of the match on Day 3. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar enjoyed a fairytale arrival to international cricket, turning the game into a personal highlight reel with an exceptional six-wicket haul for just 33 runs. His discipline forced the visitors to fold for 152 in their initial turn at the crease. Enforcing the follow-on, India maintained defensive pressure. Washington Sundar then ran through the batting order with a sharp four-wicket spell, while Kuldeep Yadav claimed three wickets to bowl out Afghanistan for 112 in their second essay.
Earlier in the match, the platform for this record-breaking outcome was secured by top-order brilliance. Skipper Shubman Gill celebrated his homecoming with a fluent 126, while his deputy KL Rahul contributed a disciplined 100. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant also provided acceleration with an entertaining 81. Washington Sundar showed his versatile skill set by scoring a half-century before taking his crucial wickets. This clinical performance beats India's previous best winning margin, which coincidentally came against the same opponents in Bengaluru eight years ago, ensuring the team gains strong momentum before sterner red-ball challenges later this year.
