India Script Historic Test Record with Innings-and-300-Run Victory Over Afghanistan

The emphatic triumph surpassed India's previous largest Test victory margin of an innings and 272 runs against the West Indies in Rajkot in 2018. The result was driven by a dominant bowling performance as India claimed 15 Afghanistan wickets on the third day to seal a landmark win.

India's previous biggest innings victories came against the West Indies by an innings and 272 runs in Rajkot in 2018, Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs in Bengaluru in 2018, Bangladesh by an innings and 239 runs in Mirpur in 2007, and Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in Nagpur in 2017.

The only innings victory on Indian soil with a larger margin remains the West Indies' innings-and-336-run win over India at Eden Gardens in 1958. Among Asian teams, only Pakistan's innings-and-324-run victory over New Zealand in Lahore in 2002 was achieved by a greater margin.

India had bowled Afghanistan out for 152 in the first innings before enforcing the follow-on and maintaining complete control of the contest. Debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar starred with a six-wicket haul in the first innings, while Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav shared seven wickets in the second innings.

Afghanistan resumed the third day at 113 for five but failed to stage a recovery. Prasidh Krishna removed Azmatullah Omarzai early in the morning session before Suthar dismantled the lower order to finish with impressive figures of six for 33 from 22 overs.

The 23-year-old spinner from Rajasthan dismissed Sharafuddin Ashraf for 11, ended Rahmat Shah's resistance after the batter scored 60 from 135 deliveries, and completed a five-wicket haul on Test debut. He later trapped Mohammad Saleem Safi leg before wicket and dismissed Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to bring the innings to a close.

Suthar's figures of six for 33 are the second-best by an Indian bowler on Test debut, behind Narendra Hirwani's eight for 61 against the West Indies in Chennai in 1988. He also became the tenth Indian bowler and the seventh Indian spinner to claim a five-wicket haul in a maiden Test appearance.

Asked to bat again after the follow-on, Afghanistan once more struggled against India's disciplined attack. Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav shared seven wickets between them as the visitors' batting line-up failed to withstand sustained pressure.

India eventually completed an innings-and-300-run victory, setting a new national record for the largest win in the country's Test cricket history.

Brief Scores: India declared their first innings at 564 for eight in 127 overs. Afghanistan were dismissed for 152 in the first innings and 112 in 35.5 overs in the second innings. Sediqullah Atal scored 42 and Rahmanullah Gurbaz made 24, while Washington Sundar returned figures of four for 36 and Kuldeep Yadav claimed three for 30.

The victory stands as a landmark achievement for Indian cricket, highlighting the team's dominance across departments and establishing a new benchmark for the country's success in Test cricket.