IND vs AFG 2018: It was Important for all of Us to Stick to Our Basics - Ajinkya Rahane

Team India registered a comprehensive victory over Afghanistan by beating them by an innings and 262 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru inside the 2^nd day of the Test match.

It was a thoroughly professional performance by the No 1 team in the world. After batting brilliantly in the 1^st innings, it was the job for the bowlers to seal the deal for India. However, a very few expected the match to finish within the 2^nd day.

It was brilliant centuries from the blade of Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay which out India in a commanding position on Day one. However, the Afghan bowlers came back strongly in the final session to bag five wickets for just 99 runs.

At the start of the 2^nd, day, it was an impressive knock by Hardik Pandya which helped them post a commendable total of 474 on the board. Yamin Ahmadzai was the pick of the Afghanistan bowlers with three wickets.

The Indian fast bowlers began with a bang. Ishant Sharma bowled in the perfect areas, and the Afghan batsmen were left searching for answers. Their technique was not really there, and you can expect these kinds of things from a team who was making their debut in Tests.

The Indian bowlers kept piling on the agony on Afghanistan bagging wickets at regular intervals.

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Ashwin, Jadeja Wrecked Havoc

Ravichandran Ashwin came to the act and ended with four wickets. Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma also bagged a couple of wickets each, as Afghanistan was bundled out for 109 in the 28^th over.

They were asked to follow on, and they fared no better in the 2^nd essay. It was the same old story. Ishant bagged the first two wickets, and from there on, it was a procession of sorts.

Mohammad Nabi, the top scorer from the 1^st innings, got dismissed without troubling the scorers.

Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the India bowlers the 2^nd time around. He bowled in the perfect areas, and the Afghanistan batters were not able to adjust to the line and length. The left-arm spinner bagged four wickets while Umesh and Ishant bagged a couple each. They were eventually bowled out for 103 in the 39^th over.

Following the victory, this is what the winning skipper Ajinkya Rahane said at the post-match presentation,

“This feels really special. It is always an honour to lead your country, and we wanted to be ruthless. Guys like Shikhar and Vijay got those hundreds, Rahul chipped in, and Pandya was magnificent at the end. It was important for all of us to stick to our basics, create some good habits, but credit to Afghanistan, they were fantastic.

From here on it is only upwards and onwards for them. Their seamers bowled really well, especially in the third session yesterday and I am sure they will go a long way against all opponents.”

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