Post by : Shakul

India made a confident start to the one-off Test against Afghanistan, reaching 96 for 1 at lunch on the opening day in New Chandigarh. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the hosts overcame an early setback and built a solid platform through an unbeaten partnership between KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan.

Openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal provided a steady beginning, adding 41 runs for the first wicket. Both batters looked comfortable against the Afghanistan bowling attack, rotating the strike effectively while capitalizing on scoring opportunities whenever loose deliveries were offered.

Rahul received a significant reprieve during the morning session when he edged a delivery behind the stumps. The on-field umpire did not detect the edge, and Afghanistan chose not to use a review, allowing the experienced batter to continue his innings. Rahul made full use of the opportunity and played with increasing confidence as the session progressed.

Jaiswal looked fluent during his stay at the crease and struck five boundaries in an entertaining knock of 24 runs from 32 deliveries. However, Afghanistan found a breakthrough when Saleem Safi induced an edge that was safely taken behind the wicket, ending the promising opening stand.

Following the dismissal, Sai Sudharsan joined Rahul and ensured there was no further damage. The pair settled quickly and frustrated the Afghanistan bowlers with disciplined batting. Their unbeaten partnership added stability to India's innings and shifted momentum firmly in favor of the home side.

At the lunch interval, Rahul remained unbeaten on 37 runs while Sudharsan was not out on 32. Both batters displayed patience and control, guiding India to a strong position after the first session of play. Afghanistan bowlers showed moments of promise but struggled to create sustained pressure after claiming the lone wicket.

This match marks only the second Test meeting between India and Afghanistan. The previous encounter came in 2018 when India secured a commanding innings victory in Afghanistan's inaugural Test match. As play continues in New Chandigarh, India will look to build a substantial first-innings total while Afghanistan aims to make further breakthroughs and pull the contest back into balance.

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