NEW DELHI: India tightened their stranglehold on the one-off Test against Afghanistan on Monday, but the biggest talking point during the morning session came from yet another Decision Review System (DRS) blunder by the visitors and the animated scenes that followed near their dugout.
Afghanistan Collapse and Follow-On
Resuming Day Three on 113 for five, Afghanistan folded for 152, conceding a massive 412-run first-innings lead as debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar completed a dream outing with figures of 6 for 33 in 22 overs. India, who had declared their first innings at 564 for eight, wasted little time in enforcing the follow-on.
Confusion and Heated Exchanges Near Dugout
The drama unfolded in the 58th over when Suthar trapped No. 10 batter Mohammad Saleem Safi in front. On-field umpire Richard Illingworth raised his finger immediately, and Safi initially appeared keen to challenge the decision. However, in a bizarre turn of events, the left-hander started walking back to the pavilion without taking the review. Moments later, confusion gave way to visible frustration near the Afghanistan boundary line as Safi was seen having an animated exchange with teammates and support staff close to the dugout. Television cameras captured discussions that suggested questions were being asked over why the batter had not opted for DRS despite appearing interested in doing so.
Replay Adds to Afghanistan's Agony
The replay only added to Afghanistan's agony. Ball-tracking later revealed that the delivery had pitched outside leg stump, meaning the on-field decision would have been overturned had Safi reviewed it. While the impact was in front of the stumps, the point of pitching made the dismissal incorrect, handing Suthar a slice of fortune 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 ripped through the lower order as Afghanistan added only 39 runs to their overnight score. With the visitors dismissed for 152, India enforced the follow-on and maintained complete control of the contest.
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