India declares 564/8, Afghan bowler Safi takes six wickets

India established a commanding position in the one-off Test against Afghanistan, declaring their first innings at 564 for 8 on the second day in Mullanpur. The hosts’ dominance was punctuated by a standout six-wicket haul from Afghan fast bowler Mohammad Saleem Safi, who delivered a career-best performance in just his second Test match.

India’s formidable total was built on centuries from captain Shubman Gill, who scored 126, and KL Rahul, who made 100. Contributions from the lower order, including an unbeaten 52 from Washington Sundar and a rapid 22 from Mohammed Siraj, allowed India to accelerate before the declaration after 127 overs.

Despite the mammoth score, Afghanistan found a bright spot in the bowling of 23-year-old Mohammad Saleem Safi. He finished with figures of 6 for 140 from 27 overs, exploiting variable bounce and maintaining sharp lengths. His wickets included key batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal (24), B Sai Sudharsan (81), and captain Shubman Gill. A notable dismissal was that of Dhruv Jurel, who misjudged a delivery that jagged back sharply to hit the stumps as he attempted to leave the ball. Safi later bowled Mohammed Siraj to complete his six-wicket haul.