India vs Afghanistan, Only Test, Day 1 – Statistical Highlights

Afghanistan had a tough start on their Test debut as India’s opening batsmen struck centuries on the first day of the historic Test with a scoring rate that was at par for a one-dayer. Shikhar Dhawan scored a 96-ball 107 bringing up his century in the first session of the game.

His partner Murali Vijay paced his innings beautifully as he scored 105 off 153 and was part of two centuries stands. KL Rahul too scored a 64-ball 54 batting at No.3 before the Afghans made a comeback in the final session. Their spinners found a way in the last session to support the pacers as they reduced the hosts to 347/6 from 280/1.

All the stats and numbers that were recorded during Afghanistan’s first day in Test cricket:

1 – Shikhar Dhawan became the first Indian and overall the 6th player to score a century in the opening session of a Test match. David Warner was the last one to do so when he faced Pakistan in the 2017 SCG Test becoming the first player in more than 40 years.

1 – Mujeeb-ur-Rahman became the first cricketer born in the 21st century to make his Test debut (Men/Women). Mujeeb also made his first-class debut in this match and he is the first player since 2005 and only the 6th since 1900 to make their FC debut in a Test.

3 – Shikhar Dhawan now has scored 100+ runs in a session on three different occasions. Sir Donald Bradman (6), Victor Trumper (3) and Wally Hammond (3) are the other three players to have scored 100 runs in a session in Test cricket on three and more occasions.

3 – As many as three players aged under 20 featured in this Test for Afghanistan. This is the first time in more than ten years that a team took the field with three teenagers in a Test playing XI. The last instance was in March 2006 and the team was Bangladesh.

9 – Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan scoring centuries is only the 9th instance of both Indian openers scoring centuries in a Test inning. Both the players scored centuries in India’s first innings in the 2013 Mohali Test and 2015 Fatullah Test.

17y 78d – At the age of 17 years and 78 days, Mujeeb ur Rahman became the youngest Test cricketer since India’s Piyush Chawla (17y 75d) who made his debut in 2006 against England. Mujeeb is also the youngest player to take a wicket on Indian soil as Chawla claimed his maiden wicket on the 5th day of his Test debut, a day older than Mujeeb.

87 – This Test is Dinesh Karthik’s first after missing 87 consecutive Tests. These are the most consecutive Tests missed between two appearances for India. Karthik broke the record held by Parthik Patel by missing 83 Tests between 2008 and 2016.

104 – The 104 runs Dhawan scored in the first session are the 2nd most by an Indian in a session before lunch on any day in Test cricket. Hardik Pandya scored 107 in the first session on the second day in his debut series against Sri Lanka last year.