CHANDIGARH: India seized complete control of the one-off Test against Afghanistan after declaring their first innings at 564 for 8 and reducing the visitors to 113 for 5 by stumps on Day 2.

The hosts built their dominance on substantial contributions from captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, who struck centuries, while Rishabh Pant added a fluent 81 to propel India past the 500-run mark.

After the declaration, India’s bowlers quickly put Afghanistan on the back foot, removing half the side before the close of play. Debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar made an immediate impact, helping dismantle the Afghan batting lineup on a surface increasingly offering assistance to bowlers.

With only five wickets in hand and still 451 runs behind, Afghanistan face a daunting task on Day 3 as India move closer to forcing the follow-on and securing a commanding position in the match.