India Make Solid Start, Post 96/1 by Lunch on Day 1 Against Afghanistan

The one-off Test match between India and Afghanistan is being played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur. Saturday marked the opening day of the match, with Indian captain Shubman Gill winning the toss and opting to bat first. At the lunch break, India had reached 96 runs for the loss of one wicket in their first innings. The team made a steady start and remained in a comfortable position at the end of the morning session. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 37 runs at lunch, while Sai Sudharsan was batting on 32. India suffered their only setback just before the drinks break when Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed after scoring 24 runs. Following the wicket, Rahul and Sudharsan stabilized the innings and built a partnership of more than fifty runs, remaining at the crease until lunch. India fielded six left-handed batters in the playing XI for this match. This is the third occasion in Test cricket that the Indian team has included so many left-handed batters in its lineup. The match also marked a special occasion for Manav Suthar, who made his Test debut. He received his debut cap from Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the game. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is playing his 50th Test match, adding another milestone to the occasion. Meanwhile, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in New Chandigarh's Mullanpur has become India's 31st Test venue, making the match significant from a historical perspective as well.