India Afghanistan Ajinkya Rahane
India beat Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs in Bengaluru.

India were on top in their Test match against Afghanistan, as they proved to be too good for the new-comers in Bengaluru.

After posting a commendable total in the first innings, Indian pacers and spinners were on the forefront for the rest of the game.

Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma were very good at the top, as they took early wickets in both the innings. On the other hand, spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja proved why they are the best spin duo in the world.

India Bettered its Record by Beating Afghanistan in Fewest Balls in Test Win
Ravichandran Ashwin of India appeals and got the wicket of Hashmatullah Shahidi of Afghanistan during day two of the test match between India and Afghanistan held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on the 15th June 2018. Photo by: Deepak Malik /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

Both of them were effective in both the innings and the Afghan middle order did not have any answers to their deliveries. Although, still playing their very first Test game, Afghanistan will take a lot of learning points from the game.

Incidentally, this game curtailed in just two days. But a few records were recorded during the game. The Indian team managed to bowl out the opposition in both the innings in a mere 399 balls.

It is the least number of balls bowled by an Indian side in a winning Test. The fewest balls India needed to win a game before Afghan Test was against Australia in 2004.

In the final Test match of that epic series, Indian spinners came into the fore during the second innings. They managed to defend a mere 106 runs in the fourth innings. Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and Murali Kartik were the chief architects in the game back then in Mumbai.

India Bettered its Record by Beating Afghanistan in Fewest Balls in Test Win
Image Credits: Sportskeeda

India were also able to win the Test in Dhaka in just 569 balls after bowling out Bangladesh twice. The only other instance where they won the Test in under 600 deliveries was against Zimbabwe in 2005. The team needed just 596 balls to win the game at Harare 13 years ago.

Fewest balls bowled by India in a winning Test:

399 v Afg, Bengaluru, 2018*

554 v Aus, Mumbai WS, 2004

569 v Ban, Dhaka, 2007

596 v Zim, Harare, 2005

Afghanistan will now play some continuous limited-overs cricket over the next six months.

On the other hand, India are set to tour England next month and play a full tour which also includes five Test matches.