IND vs AFG 2018: We've Learnt a Lot - Asghar Stanikzai

Afghanistan got an actual taste of Test cricket, as they were beaten quite comprehensively by an innings and 262 runs by India inside the 2^nd day of the only Test played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

It was a thoroughly professional performance by the No 1 team in the world, and the Afghans will know that how difficult Test cricket will be in the coming years. For the first time in the history, India bowled out their opposition twice in a day in Indian conditions.

On opening day, it was a superb century inside lunch by Shikhar Dhawan which provided a solid foundation for the home team. Murali Vijay also chipped in with a century, as India looked in a commanding position.

The visitors made a bit of a comeback in the final session where they bagged five wickets for just 99 runs. Hardik Pandya scored a resilient 71, as India managed to score 474 in their 1^st innings before getting bowled out.

Ahmadzai was the pick of the Afghan bowlers bagging three wickets. The Indian bowlers began splendidly. Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav bowled in the right areas to trouble the Afghan batters on a consistent basis.

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Spinners did the damage for India

It was Ravichandran Ashwin who cam not the act and bagged four wickets. Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma also chipped in with a couple of wickets each, as the visitors were bowled out for 109 in the 28^th over.

The story of Afghanistan in the 2^nd innings was no different. Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav again started off brilliantly.

Umesh bowled some superb deliveries and bagged two wickets straight up. The top scorer from the 1^st innings, Mohammad Nabi, was dismissed without troubling the scorers. Wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals for the Afghans, and they never managed to claw their way back.

If Ashwin bagged four wickets in the 1^st essay, it was Jadeja who turned the favours in the 2^nd innings. India eventually registered a huge victory in the end.

Afghanistan skipper, Asghar Stankizai was disappointed with the performance but said that this is just the start. It is what he had to say,

“First thanks to BCCI and the Afghanistan Cricket Board to have given us this opportunity. We hadn’t played a Test match before this, and we’ve learnt a lot. In the future when we play a match, we know now how to play against a full member nation like India.

Yes, we were surprised by how quickly things ended because we were a good team. But Test cricket is a completely different ball game, we have a lot of time, and we’ll work on our weaknesses. A huge thanks to the crowd as well, it felt like we were in Kabul.”

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