India thrashes Afghanistan by an innings in two days

 

By Kersi Meher-Homji

Oh what a thrashing! India defeated newcomers Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs in two days yesterday (15 June). Many records were broken in this Test at Bengaluru.

India batted first and amassed 474. Openers Shikhar Dhawan (107) and Murali Vijay (105) put on 168 runs for the first wicket. Dhawan became the first Indian to score a century before lunch on the first day of a Test match and was subsequently adjudged Man of the Match. Lokesh Rahul scored 54 and India was coasting at 2 for 284.

Subsequently Afghani bowlers found their length and India lost her last eight wickets for 190 runs.

But the Afghani batsmen put up a deplorable show, being bowled out for 109 and 103 to lose by an innings and 262 runs. A Test debut to forget for Afghanistan! Indian spinners Ravichandra Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were the chief destroyers.

For India it was all roses registering her biggest win ever (by innings). The Test lasting only two days is the shortest in the subcontinent.

In her Test debut, South Africa ”“ like Afghanistan yesterday ”“ had also lost in two days (12, 13 March 1889) by 8 wickets to England at Port Elizabeth.

Prior to the current Test, only two countries had lost their debut Test by an innings:

The West Indies when thrashed by an innings and 58 runs by England in three days (23, 25 and 26 June 1928) at Lord’s and Pakistan to India by an innings and 70 runs at Delhi on 16, 17 and 18 October 1952.

How’s this for a quirky statistic? Afghanistan totaled 212 runs (109 and 103). Indian openers Murali Vijay (105) and Shikhar Dhawan (107) also totaled 212 runs. Thus two Indians scored the same number of runs as 22 Afghanistan batsmen plus extras!

This facile win by India makes one wonder. Who chose a newcomer country Afghanistan with little experience in the longer form of cricket to play their initial Test against the number one Test nation India? And that too on Indian soil where they are virtually invincible against strong teams like South Africa, Australia and England?

 

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