New Chandigarh, June 6 (IANS) KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan struck composed half-centuries and shared a commanding 139-run partnership as India tightened their grip on the one-off Test against Afghanistan, reaching 209/2 in 50 overs at Tea on Day 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here in Mullanpur on Saturday.

Resuming the afternoon session at 96/1, India added 113 runs for the loss of just one wicket, with Rahul unbeaten on 81 and captain Shubman Gill on 20 not out at the break. Afghanistan’s lone success in the session came through Mohammad Saleem Safi again, who ended Sai’s impressive run at 81.

Having survived a testing opening session, Rahul looked far more fluent after lunch. The right-hander quickly shifted gears, collecting boundaries against both pace and spin before bringing up his 21st Test fifty. At the other end, Sai continued the encouraging start to his Test career, displaying patience and strokeplay in equal measure as he reached his third Test half-century.

The pair steadily wore down the Afghanistan attack, rotating strike effectively while capitalising on loose deliveries. Afghanistan created a few opportunities but were unable to make them count. Sai enjoyed a significant reprieve on 59 when an outside edge off Ziaur Rahman Sharifi flew past wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai, while Rahul survived an lbw review after an inside edge saved him against Saleem Safi’s reverse swing.

As the session progressed, Sai grew increasingly confident against spin. The left-hander swept Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi regularly and drove fluently through the off side, helping India move past 150 and then 175 with relative ease.

Afghanistan’s bowlers continued to search for a breakthrough, with Sharifi producing probing spells and Saleem Safi generating reverse swing. The persistence finally paid off in the 43rd over when Saleem Safi induced an edge from Sai with a full delivery outside off. Wicketkeeper Zazai completed a sharp low catch to end the partnership and dismiss the debutant for a well-crafted 81 off 104 balls, studded with 13 boundaries.

The dismissal ended a 139-run stand that had rescued India from 41/1 and placed the hosts firmly in control.

Gill, arriving at No. 4, settled quickly despite an early lbw scare against Shahidi that Afghanistan unsuccessfully reviewed. The Indian captain responded positively, driving and pulling with authority to collect four boundaries in a brisk unbeaten 20 off 28 deliveries. Rahul, meanwhile, continued to anchor the innings, moving into the eighties and keeping Afghanistan at bay as India crossed the 200-run mark shortly before Tea.

While Afghanistan will take encouragement from finally breaking the Rahul-Sai stand, India remain well placed heading into the final session, with Rahul set for a century and skipper Gill looking increasingly comfortable at the crease.

Brief Scores: India 209/2 in 50 overs (KL Rahul 81 not out, Shubman Gill 20 not out, Sai Sudharsan 81; Mohammad Saleem Safi 2-50) against Afghanistan.

–IANS

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