NEW DELHI: Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar announced his arrival on the Test stage in stunning fashion, weaving a web around Afghanistan’s batters as India registered the biggest victory in their Test history with an innings-and-300-run win in the one-off Test at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Monday.Making his Test debut, the 23-year-old from Rajasthan was the standout performer, claiming 6/33 in the first innings and adding another wicket in the second to finish with match figures of 7/62. His performance not only set up India’s crushing win but also strengthened his case as a potential long-term successor to Ravindra Jadeja in the Test side.
Suthar shines on dream debut
Afghanistan never looked comfortable against Suthar. Bowling with impressive control and consistency, the left-armer repeatedly landed the ball in the right areas and extracted turn and bounce to trouble the visitors.His figures of 6/33 made him only the 10th Indian bowler and seventh Indian spinner to claim a five-wicket haul on Test debut. He also joined an elite list of Indian bowlers to take six wickets in an innings in their maiden Test.The 23-year-old registered the best bowling figures in an innings on Test debut by an Indian in 38 years. The last Indian to better that mark in his debut Test innings was Narendra Hirwani, who produced a legendary performance against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988, claiming 8/61 and later finishing the match with 16 wickets. Suthar also joined an exclusive club of Indian bowlers to register six-wicket hauls on Test debut. Before him, only Hirwani, Ravichandran Ashwin, Dilip Doshi and Syed Abid Ali had achieved the feat in an innings during their first Test appearances.With Ravichandran Ashwin retired and Jadeja in the latter stages of his Test career, Suthar’s emergence could not have come at a better time for Indian cricket.
Rahul, Gill power India to 564/8 declared
India’s dominance began with the bat after they were asked to bat first. KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill struck commanding centuries, while Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar contributed valuable half-centuries.The hosts eventually declared on a massive 564/8, putting Afghanistan under immediate pressure.
Afghanistan crumble against spin
The visitors had no answers to India’s spin attack and were bowled out for 152 in their first innings, conceding a huge 412-run lead.Asked to follow on, Afghanistan fared even worse in the second innings. Washington Sundar starred with 4/36, while Kuldeep Yadav picked up 3/30 as the visitors were dismissed for 112 in just 35.5 overs.Afghanistan’s batters struggled both against quality spin and their own poor shot selection, allowing India to wrap up the match midway through the third day.
India’s biggest-ever Test win
The innings-and-300-run triumph is India’s largest victory in Test cricket history, surpassing the previous record of an innings and 272 runs against the West Indies in Rajkot in 2018.
India’s biggest Test wins:
- Innings & 300 runs vs Afghanistan, New Chandigarh (2026)
- Innings & 272 runs vs West Indies, Rajkot (2018)
- Innings & 262 runs vs Afghanistan, Bengaluru (2018)
- Innings & 239 runs vs Bangladesh, Mirpur (2007)
- Innings & 239 runs vs Sri Lanka, Nagpur (2017)
The win is also among the 10 biggest victories in Test cricket history, jointly ranking as the 10th-largest innings victory overall.
