India vs Afghanistan Highlights, Only Test Day 1: IND (368/3), Gill ton, Pant fifty cap dominant day for India

It was a day dominated by India's experienced batting unit. KL Rahul laid the platform with a patient century after navigating a challenging opening spell, while Shubman Gill took over the mantle later in the day with a commanding hundred of his own.

Rishabh Pant then added the finishing touches with an aggressive unbeaten half-century, ensuring India ended the day firmly on top. From recovery after an early wicket to complete control by stumps, it was a near-perfect day with the bat for the hosts.

Afghanistan showed plenty of promise with the ball during the opening session, but a series of missed chances proved costly. KL Rahul survived an edge that went unreviewed, while Sai Sudharsan was handed a reprieve after a dropped catch in the slips.

Those moments ultimately shifted the momentum of the day. As the pitch began to flatten out and the Indian batters settled in, Afghanistan struggled to create sustained pressure. By stumps, the visitors were left reflecting on what might have been after letting several key opportunities slip through their fingers.

The commentators had indicated that only five more minutes of play remained in the day, and India made the most of the final passage. Shubman Gill had already brought up his century earlier in the session, and Rishabh Pant joined the celebrations by reaching a well-made half-century of his own.

With both batters settled and India firmly in control, the umpires finally called time on the day's play. The bails were removed, bringing an end to a highly productive day for the visitors. Gill will return unbeaten on a century, while Pant heads off with a valuable fifty to his name, leaving India in a commanding position heading into the next day's action.

Shubman Gill has his century! The Indian captain calmly nudges a single and raises his bat after another outstanding Test innings. It has been a composed and authoritative knock, one that has kept India firmly in control throughout this session.

The milestone carries extra significance as well. Gill also brings up 1,000 Test runs as captain, becoming the second-fastest Indian skipper to reach the landmark, behind only Sunil Gavaskar. There is a warm embrace from Rishabh Pant at the other end as the dressing room rises to applaud.

It is a richly deserved hundred, but knowing Gill, the job is far from finished. With India in a commanding position and plenty of batting still to come, the captain will have his sights set on turning this century into something much bigger.

Rishabh Pant enters the forties here with a boundary to kickstart the over by Hashmatullah Shahidi. Meanwhile Shubman Gill gets a few singles here to get himself to 99 by the end of the over. There is anticipation here but Shubman Gill is pretty calm for now.

India appear content to safely navigate the remainder of this session, with just one over left before the second new ball becomes available. The approaching milestone adds an extra layer of intrigue to the closing stages, as both teams weigh up their next move.

There is plenty of anticipation around the middle. Shubman Gill has moved into the nineties and is within touching distance of a century, while Rishabh Pant is only a few big shots away from bringing up a half-century of his own. With the second new ball looming, the next few overs could prove pivotal.

India are firmly in control at the moment, with the runs coming at a steady rate and Afghanistan struggling to find any answers. The bowlers have searched for breakthroughs, but neither discipline nor variation has been enough to slow the scoring.

Nangeyalia Kharote was introduced after the second drinks break, but he too came under pressure, conceding a pair of boundaries in the over. Shubman Gill continues to lead from the front, moving into the seventies and edging ever closer to what would be a well-deserved century. For now, it is India's batters calling the shots, dictating terms and keeping Afghanistan firmly on the back foot.

Rishabh Pant has shifted through the gears in emphatic fashion. After failing to connect cleanly earlier, the left-hander charged down the track against Abdul Malik and nailed the shot, sending the ball soaring for six. That was only the start of the assault.

Pant followed up with two more maximums in the over, taking the attack straight to the spinner and injecting some much-needed momentum into India's innings. To make matters worse for Afghanistan, Malik continued to struggle with his run-up, overstepping once again and handing away another free run. As Sunil Gavaskar remarked on commentary, those repeated no-balls are simply "criminal" at this level.

Drama in Abdul Malik's over! The spinner thought he had Rishabh Pant caught behind after extracting sharp turn from a full delivery, but any celebrations were cut short as the siren revealed yet another no-ball. It was a costly mistake from Malik, who had already overstepped earlier in the over.

Pant looked determined to seize the initiative, advancing down the pitch against another full delivery and driving it straight back at the bowler. A difficult return chance came and went, allowing Pant to collect a single and keep the strike. An eventful over that swung from potential breakthrough to missed opportunity for Afghanistan.

Rishabh Pant walks out to the middle, replacing KL Rahul, and this could be a significant moment for the wicketkeeper-batter. Pant has plenty of motivation heading into this innings after losing the Test vice-captaincy, with Rahul stepping into the role. His recent IPL campaign also failed to live up to expectations, adding further scrutiny to his form.

India will be hoping for a trademark Pant counter-attack, while the left-hander will be eager to remind everyone why he remains one of the most destructive and influential batters in Test cricket. A big score here would be the perfect response.

Shubman Gill hasn't show any signs of slowing down and is making things look easy in the middle. He got to his fifty in fine style and has continued to hit boundaries at will. Remember, this is the same ground that he scored a hundred a few weeks ago during the IPL Qualifier 2.

Signs look ominous for Afghanistan at the moment.

KL Rahul departs after hitting his 12th Test hundred.

It is Ziaur Rahman Sharifi once again who has produced the chance.

On the up, KL Rahul drives the ball and finds short cover. However, that should not take away from the lovely knock that he has played today.

Yes, he has been certainly lucky. Afghanistan did not appeal for an outside edge, he was judged not out on an Umpire's Call, but what KL showed was good discipline.

On an uneven pitch, he has been able to grind out a hundred in the baking heat of Mullanpur.

India vs Afghanistan Live Score, Only Test Day 1: IND (247/3 in 60.2 overs). KL Rahul (100*), Shubman Gill (39*).

India opener KL Rahul is within touching distance of his 12th Test century.

India are dominating the Test match at the moment and have brought up 245 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in 60 overs.

KL Rahul has led from the front for India as they pile on the misery on Afghanistan. Despite losing Sai Sudharsan, Rahul has maintained his composure and ensured there was no further damage after Sudharsan returned. India have 209 runs on the board thanks to 139-run stand between Rahul and Sudharsan.

Afghanistan continued to drop catches and made costly errors in Mullanpur.

How bad is the heat in Mullanpur?

So bad that barely any crowd has turned up for the match. The ball-kids at the boundary line are using umbrellas to shield themselves as well.

The condition of the ball is so bad after 30-odd overs that the umpires have been forced to change it.

Sai Sudharsan goes four, four, four and completes his fifty.

This is a very important knock for him as the competition for No.3 in the Test team is getting tougher and tougher.

Sudharsan nails the sweep, one that he had been struggling to get away, then creams a couple of drives.

Afghanistan have started to leak boundaries now, because India batters are well set and cashing-in on the poor balls.

India vs Afghanistan Live Score, Only Test Day 1: IND (133/1 in 32 overs). KL Rahul (52*), Sai Sudharsan (54*).

Half century for KL Rahul, who continues to battle inconsistent bounce on the Mullanpur pitch.

Rahul gets to fifty runs with a single, a ball that bounces above the stumps from the half volley area. This might turn out to be an absolute minefield in the next innings. India will have to bat well today, and KL Rahul is likely to remain at the forefront of it.

This is the 51st fifty of his Test career. Rahul has 11 hundreds to his name as well.

India vs Afghanistan Live Score, Only Test Day 1: IND (118/1 in 30 overs). KL Rahul (50*), Sai Sudharsan (41*).

Right then. We are back after the lunch break. KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan have begun their innings and will look to hand India a big first innings total. It is baking hot in Chandigarh and debutant Nangeyalia Kharote has opened the second session with the ball.

Kharote gets hit for two fours by Rahul, one where he is in full control and one where he is not.

In the first one, he comes down the track and drives it straight down the pitch. The second one is a cut which takes a big leading edge for four.

Azmatullah Omarzai starts from the other end and concedes a boundary against Rahul, who cuts the ball with disdain.

Meanwhile, there is definitely turn in the pitch, which has put Sudharsan in trouble in a couple of occasions. The ball is keeping low as well.

India vs Afghanistan Live Score, Only Test Day 1: IND (107/1 in 27 overs). KL Rahul (47*), Sai Sudharsan (33*).

India reached lunch break on 96/1 after a strong opening session, with KL Rahul (37*) and Sai Sudharsan (32*) steadying the innings after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early dismissal for 24.

Afghanistan will rue a poor session in the field, having missed multiple chances, including a dropped catch and a missed review opportunity that could have changed the course of the morning. The new-ball attack impressed early, but India recovered well to take control before the break.

Score: (96/1 in 25 ovs), Rahul (27*), Sai (32*)