Suthar six-for rolls Afghanistan over for 152 as India Enforces Follow-On

India asserted complete dominance on day three of the match in New Chandigarh, putting on a clinic with the ball to dismantle the opposition. The headline story of the day belonged to the young spinner Manav Suthar, whose incredible spell of Suthar six-for rolls Afghanistan over for 152, leaving the visitors trailing by a massive margin of 412 runs. Following India’s mammoth first-innings declaration at 564 for 8, courtesy of brilliant centuries from Shubman Gill (126) and KL Rahul (100), Afghanistan crumbled under pressure despite a fighting half-century from Rahmat Shah.

Suthar’s Masterclass on Day Three

Manav Suthar looked like he was bowling on an entirely different surface compared to the other spinners. Building on his highly promising debut performance last afternoon, where he grabbed three key wickets, Suthar turned his spell into an extended dream sequence on the third morning. Operating with immaculate control and maintaining speeds of around 90 kph throughout the session, he finished with sensational figures of 6 for 33.

While other spinners like Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav struggled to extract significant turn as the day progressed and the pitch flattened under hot weather conditions, Suthar found immediate assistance. Resuming the morning with just one delivery left in his unfinished over, Suthar immediately got the red cherry to grip and turn. He continuously asked tough questions of the Afghan batters, mixing up his trajectory and pace to keep them guessing.

Rahmat Shah Leads Lonely Resistance

For the first hour and a half, Rahmat Shah was the lone warrior for Afghanistan, leading a stoic resistance before the lunch break. Afghanistan faced the monumental task of reaching 365 runs to avoid the follow-on and make India bat again. That target, however, remained a distant dream. Rahmat batted with immense patience, bringing up a hard-fought half-century off 100 deliveries, anchoring one end while wickets tumbled around him.

Rahmat’s defiance was eventually ended by Suthar in spectacular fashion. Attempting an expansive sweep to break the shackles, Rahmat was bowled around his legs by Suthar for a well-made 60. His departure as the eighth wicket broke the final resistance of the innings, and India swiftly wrapped up the remaining tail-enders in less than two overs.

Prasidh Krishna Generates Venomous Bounce

At the other end, India’s pace spearhead Prasidh Krishna provided excellent support, picking up 3 for 37. Bowling with great intensity despite the high temperatures, the tall fast bowler consistently hit a back-of-a-length area, utilizing the sharp angles off the pitch to create constant jeopardy.

While Rahmat Shah showed solid discipline by leaving deliveries wide outside the off-stump, the newly arrived Azmatullah Omarzai could not resist. Wafting at a wide delivery, Omarzai left a yawning gap between his bat and pad. Prasidh got the ball to jag back sharply off the seam, taking the inside edge of Omarzai’s bat to send him back to the pavilion early in the day.

Mohammed Siraj also bowled a brief but tight three-over spell, conceding just five runs. Siraj was in the thick of the action when he reviewed a close lbw shout, though replays showed a clear inside-edge onto the pads, preserving the batter’s wicket.

Kuldeep and Sundar Play Supporting Roles

As the session advanced, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav bowled in tandem. Kuldeep appeared somewhat hesitant to put maximum revolutions on the ball, making both bowlers look relatively innocuous compared to the threatening Suthar. However, India’s spinners kept the pressure tight. Sharafuddin Ashraf, batting with a highly visible groin injury, found it incredibly difficult to maneuver. Kuldeep began lobbing up inviting deliveries, forcing the injured batter to step out and deadbat. Suthar was brought back to exploit Ashraf’s limited reach, quickly drawing an edge that traveled safely into the hands of the fielder behind.

Washington Sundar then claimed the final wicket of the Afghanistan innings. Ziaur, looking to break free, went for a massive swipe across the line off Sundar. The ball ballooned into the air, and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant ran in sharply to complete a comfortable catch. Afghanistan was eventually bundled out for a meager 152, handing India a massive first-innings lead. With a daunting 412-run deficit hanging over them, the visitors were asked to follow on and must now bat again to save the match.