IND vs AFG One-Off Test Live ScoreIND vs AFG One-Off Test Live Score Updates: India take on Afghanistan in Mullanpur.

India (IND) vs Afghanistan (AFG) One-off Test Match Live Cricket Score Updates: Ziaur Rahman Sharifi picks KL Rahul. Earlier, at Tea India were at 209/2 with KL Rahul 81(137) and Shubman Gill 20(28) in the middle. Jaiswal and KL Rahul were going about their business largely smoothly until then, although Afghanistan did miss a chance to review a not-out decision against Rahul just an over earlier and dismiss him caught behind. India finished the first session with a score of 96/1 in 25 overs.

After Jaiswal, Rahul and Sai Sudharsan stitched a 139 run partnership for second wicket scoring their respective fifities. Saleem came back to pick Sai when the left-hander was batting on 81.

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Skipper Shubhman Gill and Rahul are right now in the middle as the Indian team looks set for a big total.

Gill won the toss and India are batting first in their one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur. There are debutants on both sides – Manav Suthar is the first spinner to make his Test debut for India since 2021 while for Afghanistan, spin-bowling all-rounder Nangeyalia Kharote has received his maiden cap.

With all the T20 cricket going on for almost the last 7 months, including India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup and the travelling caravan that is the Indian Premier League (IPL), the tepid form of Gautam Gambhir’s men in the longest format had taken a backseat. But with the one-off Test against Afghanistan on Saturday, the memories of getting whitewashed by South Africa last November will come rushing back.

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The Indian team trains at the New International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday ahead of their one-off Test against Afghanistan. (Express Photo | Kamleshwar Singh)

Why India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan matters more than it seems

A local Punjab pacer who bowled in the Afghanistan nets at the New PCA Stadium on Thursday was treated to a surprise during his stint. “Inka Test squad bilkul alag hai (their Test team is quite different),” he said with evident admiration.

For a young Test nation — just eight years old — the diverse options are noteworthy. Even with a horde of their white-ball superstars not around, there is promise in Hashmatullah Shahidi’s camp. But limitations of having only played a collective 12 Tests sometimes show up in the form of a standard Indian bowler in the nets. “I bowled Rahmanullah Gurbaz twice in the nets,” the young seamer said, detailing his experience to a bowling partner.