IND vs AFG: Mohammad Saleem Safi departs without control as animated scenes unfold near the dugout in Afghanistan
NEW DELHI: India tightened their grip on the one-off Test against Afghanistan on Monday, but the biggest talking point during the morning session arose from another DRS error by the visitors and the animated scenes that followed near their dugout.Resuming on 113 for five on day three, Afghanistan were bowled out for 152 and conceded a massive first innings lead of 412 runs as debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar completed a dream tournament with figures of 6 for 33 in 22 overs. Declaring their first innings at 564 for eight, India wasted little time in pushing for the subsequent ones.
Confusion and heated exchanges near the dugout
The drama unfolded in the 58th over when Suthar trapped No.10 batsman Mohammad Saleem Safi in front. On-field umpire Richard Illingworth immediately raised his finger and Safi initially looked set to challenge the decision.However, in a bizarre turn of events, the left-hander returned to the pavilion without conducting a review. Moments later, confusion gave way to visible frustration near the border line with Afghanistan as Safi was seen having a lively conversation with teammates and support staff near the dugout.Discussions were caught on television cameras suggesting questions were being asked as to why the batter did not opt for DRS despite his interest.The replay only added to Aggha’s agony.Ball tracking later revealed that the delivery had tipped outside the leg stump, meaning the on-field decision would have been overturned if Safi had reviewed it. While the impact was in front of the stumps, the point of the pitch caused the dismissal to go wrong, giving Suthar a piece of luck and Afghanistan another painful DRS lesson.
Manav Suthar’s dream debut continues
The dismissal gave Suthar his sixth wicket and capped a memorable debut performance for the 23-year-old. The left-arm spinner tore through the lower order as Afghanistan added just 39 runs to their overnight score.With the visitors dismissed for 152, India forced a follow-on and maintained complete control of the contest.
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