India vs Afghanistan: KL Rahul shakes off T20 jitters, Sai Sudharsan makes the most of ‘long rope’

India’s KL Rahul, left, and Sai Sudharsan run between the wickets (PTI Photo) TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: The challenge in front of KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan was not Afghanistan’s bowling attack. It was a transition from two months of relentless T20 cricket back to the demands of Test cricket. One had to rediscover patience after a fruitful IPL campaign while the other had to justify the faith reposed in him by the team management. At stumps on the first day, both passed the respective tests. Rahul blasted his way to a hard-fought century and Sai produced a fluent 81 as India took control of the one-off Test.For three consecutive days in charge, KL Rahul spent hours at the nets under the steamy sun. Even the day before the Test, when practice was optional, only three batsmen turned up: KL Rahul was one of them. One thing stood out during these sessions: Rahul was trying to play closer to his body and get rid of his T20 batting habits. Unlike most of his teammates, however, the turnaround hasn’t been as sudden for the 34-year-old. Delhi Capitals played their last league match on 17 May, more than two weeks before the Indian Test squad assembled in Chandigarh.But red-ball cricket brings its own challenges, especially after two months of non-stop T20 cricket.At the start of his innings, Rahul looked rusty. Credit goes to Afghanistan’s new bowlers Ziaur Rahman Sharifi and Azmatullah Omarzai who made the most of what little was available from the surface. The duo played with discipline and asked questions to both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul.Jaiswal was bowled by Abdul Malik at gully when the left-hander was on 11 off the bowling of Omarzai. However, he failed to make the most of the relief before Saleem Safi strangled him on the leg side.Rahul struggled for timing for most of the opening session but managed to survive. His frustration was visible as he searched for a rhythm. The muscle memory of attacking cricket briefly took hold and he tried to cut Ziaur Rahman off the back foot in an attempt to break the shackles. There was a definitive nick. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, standing at second slip, was convinced but failed to convince captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who opted against taking DRS.Without this gift, Rahul looked solid. The Afghan bowlers continued to probe and their spinners also extracted some bounces. Rahul looked increasingly comfortable against spin as the morning dampness wore off. He completed his half-century after an 86-ball grind soon after the lunch break.Rahul found an able partner in Sai Sudharsan at the other end. The pair added 139 runs for the second wicket.If Rahul looked rusty, Sudharsan, who was preferred ahead of Devdutt Padikkal, made the most of his opportunity with a scintillating 81. On the eve of the Test, Gautam Gambhir said Sai would be given a “longer rope” and that the management had full faith in him to succeed at No.3.Sai started briskly with some sharp flicks but was dropped twice, on 18 and 59.Nangeyalia Kharote, who had bounced well off the pitch in the opening over, induced an outside edge but Gurbaz responded late behind the stumps. Later, Ziaur Rahman pulled Sai into the forward attack. The ball straightened, got past the outside edge and flew past the diving Afsar Zazai. It went low and to the left of the keeper. Zazai dived at full length but couldn’t get to it and the ball beat the first slip fielder as well.Growing in confidence, Sai completed his third Test fifty with a hat-trick of boundaries off Kharote. Just when he looked set for a much bigger score, Mohammad Saleem broke the dangerous partnership with a fine dismissal. Sai drove away from his body, got a strong outside edge and this time Zazai dived low to his left to complete a fine catch.After Sai’s dismissal, Rahul took a back seat as skipper Shubman Gill, who looked in commanding touch from the first ball, went down. The pair added 67 runs in quick time. Rahul completed his 12th Test hundred and walked off the very next ball he faced after acknowledging the handful of spectators at Mullanpur.Standing at the non-striker’s end, Gill couldn’t believe his eyes and had his right hand on his head. It wasn’t the first time he’d been stunned by the other end. Just last week at the same venue but in different colours, he was on a roll after watching his Gujarat Titans teammate Sai Sudharsan take his wicket.Rahul shook his head and left disappointed. He had a greased cover disc and perhaps wanted to bat with more freedom after reaching the three-figure mark. Instead, Gurbaz pulled off a smart catch that darted forward to his left. Ziaur Rahman, who switched off his heart in the morning session, celebrated with visible delight.It wasn’t smooth innings from either Rahul or Sai, but that was hardly the point. Both needed time in the middle and both got it. Rahul will be disappointed to have fallen immediately after reaching his hundred as he has been in control for most of his stay. Meanwhile, Sai has further strengthened his case at No. 3. The management has promised him a long rope and with another guaranteed contribution, he has ensured that it remains firmly in their hands.