IND vs AFG Only Test, Day 1: Dhawan, Vijay lead hosts to 347-6 at stumps

Bengaluru: Centuries from Shikhar Dhawan (107 runs) and Murali Vijay (105) and a fifty from KL Rahul (54) guided India to 347-6 at Day one of the historic Test match against Afghanistan here on Thursday.

While the first half of the day was dominated by the hosts despite the play being halted twice during the day, the Afghans bounced back in the latter part of the day.

Yamin Ahmadzai was the top wicket-taker for the Afghans, finishing with a spell of 2-32.

However, star man Rashid Khan conceded 120 runs while he took just one wicket. Wafadar and Mujeeb Ur Rahman were the other wicket-takers.

While Cheteshwar Pujara scored 35 runs, Ajinkya Rahane (10) and Dinesh Karthik (4 runs) had short stints at the crease.

Hardik Pandya (10 runs*) and Ravichandran Ashwin (7 runs*) are the duo who are currently batting.

India 328-5 from 69. 5 overs

WICKET! Mujeeb Ur Rahman strikes as he removes Cheteshwar Pujara for 35! Mohammad Nabi takes a brilliant catch at leg slip.

India 318-4 from 66.3 overs

WICKET! Rashid Khan finally gets his maiden Test wicket as he sees off captain Ajinkya Rahane for 10 runs.

India 284-3 from 52.1 overs

WICKET! Yamin Ahmadzai bowls out KL Rahul for 54 in yet another huge moment for the Afghans. So, now, the hosts have lost two centurions and a half-centurion.

India 280-2 from 51.5 overs

WICKET! Wafadar strikes as Murali Vijay is struck LBW for 105 runs. India go for the DRS, but in the end it stays as umpire's call. Yet another crucial breakthrough for the Afghans.

India 277-1 from 51 overs

FIFTY! This is becoming a one-way traffic here, as KL Rahul joins the party with his 11th Test fifty. Meanwhile, Rashid Khan has already conceded more than 100 runs. Will the Afghans ever find a breakthrough?

India 268-1 from 49.1 overs

CENTURY! Murali Vijay gets his 12th Test ton with a four! The second centurion of the Indian innings as the hosts continue to dominate.

Rain update

Rain played spoilsport during the second session on Day one of the one-offf India-Afghanistan Test as the hosts recovered after losing centurion Shikhar Dhawan.

The covers were brought on, and the players walked back to the dressing rooms.

India 172-1 from 29.2 overs

FIFTY! Murali Vijay gets to his 16th Test fifty as India look to recover after Dhawan's dismissal.

India 168-1 from 28.4 overs

WICKET! Yamin Ahmadzai removes Shikhar Dhawan for 107 as Mohammad Nabi takes a stunning catch at first slip to give the visitors their first-ever Test wicket.

Lunch break summary

Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay got a dominant India off to a strong start in the historic one-off Test against Afghanistan here on Thursday, as the hosts headed for lunch at 158-0 on day one.

Undoubtedly, the first session belonged to the hosts, with the Afghans’ Test cricket debut starting with a nightmare.

Dhawan, as a result, got to his seventh Test century. He not only reached that milestone, but also became the sixth batsman overall to score a ton before lunch on day one of a Test match, also becoming the first Indian to do so.

Neither Rashid Khan nor Mujeeb Ur Rehman could trouble the batsmen. However, Rashid Khan had a perfect chance to dismiss the dangerous Dhawan in the 20^th over, when the Afghans went for a review in an appeal for LBW. However, the ball just missed the stumps despite pitching in the line, giving a lifeline for the Delhi batsman.

The debutants will hope for a turnaround in the second session, and will hope to put on an improved show.

India 153-0 from 25.5 overs

100! Shikhar Dhawan slams his seventh Test century, the sixth batsman to reach the milestone before lunch on day one of a Test match.

India 75-0 from 10.5 overs

FIFTY! Shikhar Dhawan gets to his sixth Test fifty with a four! Rashid Khan's delivery goes in vain as the ball races towards the boundary at deep mid-wicket.

India 54/0 from 11 overs:

Afghanistan might have missed the trick by choosing not to take a review for Dhawan. There was a faint edge and remember, they had appealed for the caught behind. India and Dhawan won't mind this though with fifty up in eleven overs.

Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bat in what is a historic Test for Asghar Stanikzai-led Afghanistan at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.

Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav and Navdeep Saini could not make it to India's playing XI as KL Rahul set to bat in the middle order with all the three openers are in the team.

Afghanistan, bruised by war and what not back home, will make their Test debut as they take on India in the one-off Test.

While Afghanistan are playing their first ever Test, there is no shortage of confidence. The Afghanistan skipper had said that his team has better spinners – Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Zahir Khan and Hamza Hotak – than India, who have the likes of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in their ranks.

While the next five days will define which set of spinners will have an upperhand, Indian batting has a proven pedigree even without Virat Kohli’s presence in the squad.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, will have Mohammad Shahzad, who will lead their batting charge against the Indian attack.

Squads:

India: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karun Nair, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur.

Afghanistan: Asghar Stanikzai (Captain), Mohammad Shahzad, Javed Ahmadi, Ihsanullah Jannat, Rahmat Shah, Nasir Jamal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afsar Zazai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Zahir Khan, Hamza Hotak, Syed Ahmad Sherzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Wafadar Momand, Mujeeb ur Rahman.