India demolished Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs inside three days in the one-off Test at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh on June 8.
This is India’s largest-ever Test victory by margin. Debutant Manav Suthar was named Player of the Match after taking a stunning six-wicket haul in the first innings, becoming only the second Indian to claim a five-for on Test debut in the 21st century. Afghanistan were bowled out for 152 and 112 in their two innings, never threatening India’s mammoth first-innings total of 564/8 declared.
How Did Day 3 Unfold?
India needed just one session to wrap things up.
Afghanistan resumed Day 3 at 113/5 in their first innings, still trailing by 451 runs. Rahmat Shah offered the only real resistance, scoring a gritty 55 before falling. But around him, wickets tumbled regularly. Suthar added three more to his overnight tally of three, finishing with 6 wickets in the first innings. Afghanistan were bundled out for 152, conceding a lead of 412 runs.
Shubman Gill didn’t hesitate. He immediately enforced the follow-on, putting Afghanistan back in to bat with the pitch offering increasing turn and variable bounce.
What Happened in Afghanistan’s Second Innings?
It was even worse than the first.
Afghanistan briefly showed fight, reaching 70/1 with Sediqullah Atal (34) and Rahmat Shah building a platform. However, the middle order collapsed spectacularly. They lost four wickets for 28 runs to slip from 70/1 to 98/5.
Washington Sundar was the chief destroyer this time, picking up four wickets with his off-spin. Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with three wickets, including the final scalp that sealed the victory. Afghanistan’s last five wickets fell for just 14 runs in six overs, and they were bowled out for a paltry 112.
The margin of innings and 300 runs is India’s biggest-ever Test win, surpassing previous records by a significant distance.
How Dominant Was India’s Batting?
Completely dominant. India’s 564/8 declared featured contributions across the entire batting order.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | Key Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| KL Rahul | 100 | 165 | Set the tone, Patient century at No. 2 |
| Sai Sudharsan | 81 | 104 | Elegant middle-order display |
| Shubman Gill | 126 | 177 | Captain’s knock, Scored Century at No.4 |
| Rishabh Pant | 81 | 121 | Trademark aggression, missed century |
| Washington Sundar | 52* | 68 | Crucial lower-order contribution |
All ten Indian batters reached double figures. That depth ensured Afghanistan’s bowlers were constantly under pressure despite Mohammad Saleem Safi’s exceptional 6/140, only the third six-wicket haul by an Afghan bowler in Test history.
Manav Suthar’s Dream Debut: Full Breakdown
Suthar’s numbers across the match tell the complete story:
First innings: 6 wickets (became only the second Indian to take a five-for on Test debut this century)
Match figures: 6 wickets across both innings
He struck with the fourth ball of his Test career on Day 2, dismissing Abdul Malik with a sharply turning delivery. From there, he bowled unchanged for 13 overs from one end, extracting drift, turn, and variable bounce consistently.
After the match, Suthar was emotional. “Unreal feeling, top of the world. My dream from the beginning was to play Test cricket for India,” he said during the presentation ceremony.
Captain Gill praised his discipline: “On wickets like these, how you set the batsmen up is key. Keep testing them in different areas.”
Even Afghan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi acknowledged Suthar’s quality. “He bowled stump to stump, very disciplined in his bowling,” Shahidi said.
What Did Afghanistan’s Captain Say?
Shahidi was gracious in defeat but honest about the gap.
“Congratulations to India on the performance. Tough game for us. Our discipline with the bowling was not that good. They played well right from the start,” he said. “The reality is we don’t have that experience in the format. We learned a lot from this game. We don’t get enough opportunities to play in this format.”
He singled out Mohammad Saleem’s 6/140 as a major positive, along with Rahmat Shah’s batting across both innings. But the lack of competitive Test cricket for Afghanistan remains their biggest disadvantage. This was only their 10th Test match since gaining Test status in 2018.
What’s Next for India After This Win?
This result kicks off a packed home and away schedule for Shubman Gill’s side:
- June 12-20: Three ODIs vs Afghanistan (Dharamsala, Lucknow, Chennai)
- Late June: T20I series vs Ireland (Belfast)
- July 1-19: Five T20Is and three ODIs vs England (UK)
- Late August: Two Tests vs Sri Lanka (Galle, Colombo)
The Sri Lanka Tests carry massive WTC 2025-27 implications. India’s dominant home performance against Afghanistan is a confidence boost, but away Tests in spin-friendly Sri Lankan conditions will be a far sterner examination.
For now, Day 3 in New Chandigarh belonged to India. And above all, it belonged to Manav Suthar, who walked into the ground as a debutant and walked out as a Player of the Match with a six-wicket haul and a Test career that couldn’t have started any better.
