Afghanistan’s bowlers claimed some late success on their Test debut after the India openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay had both made centuries on a rain-hit opening day in Bengaluru. After winning the toss, the hosts soon set about Afghanistan, who were captained by Asghar Stanikzai for the historic one-off encounter, scheduled for five days at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Dhawan made his century from just 87 deliveries – including 18 boundaries and three sixes – before lunch, becoming the first India batsman to do so. Shortly afterwards, though, he became the first Test wicket for Afghanistan when caught on 107 in the slips off Yamin Ahmadzai. Rain forced the players off at the start of the 46th over, with India at 248 for one, at which point the decision was taken for an early tea. After another rain delay, Vijay brought up his century off 143 deliveries but Afghanistan then enjoyed some late swing success amid fading light. The opener was trapped leg before by 18-year-old bowler Wafadar on 105 and India were soon 284 for three in the next over after KL Rahul, who made 54, played on from Ahmadzai’s delivery. Ajinkya Rahane, India’s captain in the absence of Virat Kohli, also followed for 10, given lbw to spinner Rashid Khan on review, and Cheteshwar Pujara (35) edged Mujeeb Ur Rahman to first slip. The Spin: sign up and get our weekly cricket email. The wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik was run out on a close review after chasing a quick single when on four, as India got through to stumps at 347 for six. Hardik Pandya was 10 not out and Ravichandran Ashwin was on seven.<doc-sep>Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared a special message congratulating the Afghanistan Cricket Team for their Test debut. I congratulate the people of Afghanistan as their cricket team plays their first international test match. Glad that they have chosen to play the historic match with India. Best wishes to both teams! May sports continue to bring our people closer and strengthen ties. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 14, 2018 In a tweet on Wednesday, Modi said. The Indian Embassy in Kabul also tweeted a message from the PMO India, which was read out aloud by the Minister of Sports, Rajyavardhan Rathore before the match commenced. As per a report by News 18, the Chief of Afghanistan Cricket Board, Atif Mashal, also read out a statement from Afghanistan’s President, Ashraf Ghani. Both teams were greeted by Rathore and the Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr Abdullah Abdullah. Afghanistan received recognition from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001 and are now the 12th Test-playing nation in the world. The team’s captain Asghar Stanikzai called this a proud moment and looked forward to giving their best performance in their debut test match. India will be led by Ajinkya Rahane, in the absence of skipper Virat Kohli. Rajyavardhan Rathore also congratulated the Afghanistan team in a tweet: ‘May the best team win! Delighted to be at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium where Afghanistan makes its debut in test cricket against India. Hope this game marks the beginning of a new inning for the people of Afghanistan and for our countries' relationship! #INDvAFG.’ May the best team win! Delighted to be at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium where Afghanistan makes its debut in test cricket against India. Hope this game marks the beginning of a new inning for the people of Afghanistan and for our countries' relationship!#INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/MCviRYk5o7 — Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) June 14, 2018 Let’s hope that the game is played in great spirits and bring joy to the people of India and Afghanistan. Good luck to both teams.<doc-sep>Preview: Just under 15 months ago, with Virat Kohli nursing an injured shoulder, it was Ajinkya Rahane that led India to a series victory over Australia in Dharamsala. One of the catalysts for that success was a debutant. Kuldeep Yadav’s contentious selection may or may not have contributed to Anil Kumble losing the coaching job, but there’s every chance that the Rahane-Kuldeep combination will once again be seen at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday for a Test that marks Afghanistan’s entry into the big league. The live telecast of India's one-off Test match against Afghanistan will start at 9am on June 14th (Thursday) in Bengaluru. The match can be watched live on the Star Sports network and live streamed on Hotstar.com. You can also follow the match live commentary for ball-by-ball updates, full score on cricketnext.com. Rahane himself has had a tumultuous year. Dropped for the first two Tests against South Africa in January after a dismal home series against Sri Lanka, he was recalled only for The Wanderers, by which time the series was already lost. The 48 he made on that spiteful pitch may have shut the door on Rohit Sharma’s Test career for the foreseeable future, and Kohli’s recent birthday wish on social media suggested that India wouldn’t make the mistake of jettisoning Rahane for an overseas Test again any time soon. With injury once again sidelining Kohli, it will be fascinating to see how Rahane approaches this assignment. Like Cheteshwar Pujara, who had a shocking county season – 100 runs in eight innings for Yorkshire – he is now a one-format player. After this game, while most jet off for the limited-overs leg in the UK, Rahane will be left to his own devices to prepare for the five-Test series that starts on August 1. For the moment, the focus is very much on Bengaluru, and a landmark occasion. “It’s an honour for all of us to be part of this Test match,” said Rahane. “A big moment for Afghan cricket as well. Playing a Test match is always special. It’s an honour for me as well to be captain in this match.” Asghar Stanikzai, who will head out for the toss of the coin with him, had stirred the pot a few days ago by suggesting that his team had the more accomplished spinners. But Rahane had no interest in getting into a public debate on the matter. “Every member of a team, they always believe their team is good, that their bowling attack and their batting is better,” he said, the very acme of diplomacy. “We all know the stats, but we don’t focus on stats. In Test cricket, every session matters a lot. It is important that you do your best all the time. Our spinners – Kuldeep, Ashwin or Jadeja – they are all experienced. They are quality spinners, they back each other, they enjoy bowling with each other even in the nets and in the match. On that given day, it’s important what is your mindset and how to handle pressure.” Phil Simmons, the Afghanistan coach, certainly didn’t try to contradict his captain. If anything, he only reinforced the message. “My captain knows what he is talking about,” he said with a laugh. “When you look at it, all spinners in this contest will be excellent. We know that right now, Rashid [Khan] is the most difficult spinner to play. He has not played Test cricket. We have to look and see what happens. but his professionalism will help him to adjust and am sure he will come out well.” Stanikzai said he wouldn’t know what ‘nervous’ meant and stressed on the structures that Afghanistan have put in place to produce far more talent than most emerging nations. “We have different tournaments, four-day first-class tournaments, University T20 tournaments,” he said. “So, there are players you can't hide when they do well in domestic cricket. Most of our matches are live on social media so they are coming through. We have limited players from different provinces but when they perform we give them a chance in our teams like A team and development squad. They are coming through to the national team.” Mohammad Shahzad returns to the fray after missing some of the Intercontinental Cup campaign because of a drug-related ban, but Afzar Zazai is set to keep his place behind the stumps. Shahzad, whose admiration for Dhoni is second to none, will play as a specialist batsman and field close in. Afghanistan are likely to play three specialist spinners, and Mohammad Nabi, with the exciting 18-year-old Wafadar taking the new ball. India have a couple of selection conundrums to sort out before they step on to the park. The pitch, which has been prepared under cloudy skies and with plenty of rain in the air, has a fair smattering of grass, but also comes with a reputation for assisting the slow bowlers. Ashwin and Jadeja both played crucial roles in India’s stunning come-from-behind victory against Australia here in March 2017, and the temptation will be overwhelming to add Kuldeep’s wristy, left-arm variations to the mix. If that happens, Karun Nair, who had been expected to make a Test comeback, could be the one to miss out. There’s also the question of which two to pick from Murali Vijay, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan was dropped in South Africa, where the conditions didn’t suit his brand of swash and buckle, but Rahul didn’t make runs either. Vijay too was disappointing. Rahul was in prime form in the IPL, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if India took a punt on him, just as England recently did with Jos Buttler. With Mohammed Shami again sidelined, the pace bowlers pick themselves. Umesh Yadav was hugely impressive in that 2017 series against Australia, while Ishant Sharma has had a fine stint with Sussex in the county championship. For Navdeep Saini, this Test has probably come too soon, but we’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more of him.<doc-sep>When Afghanistan takes to the field in Bangalore, India, today for its first test match, far more than the outcome of the game is at stake for the fledgling cricket team. Key points: Cricket first picked up by Afghans who fled to Pakistan after the Soviet invasion Cricket first picked up by Afghans who fled to Pakistan after the Soviet invasion The Taliban banned the game and extremists have targeted matches The Taliban banned the game and extremists have targeted matches There are hopes the test match will be a unifying moment for the country As can sometimes be the case, the game of cricket will be a vehicle for something far greater than itself. For a nation riven by generations of conflict and war, playing test cricket on the international stage is a welcome opportunity for Afghanistan to unite behind a common cause. It is often said that the notion of Afghanistan as a country is a foreign idea imposed arbitrarily upon a collection of tribes that have no notion of nationhood. Afghanistan will take a sense of excitement, not nerves, onto the pitch for their maiden test match. ( AP: Aijaz Rahi But a nation by name it is, and sport — especially cricket — can be a unifying force. "It's a fairytale for the Afghan team," said cricket journalist and historian Boria Majumdar. "It demonstrates what sport can do and is capable of. "That it is a means of life, can provide salve for a troubled nation and provide people's existence with a new meaning. "For the game, it is a moment of reckoning. It opens up a new market and at a time when test cricket is struggling, Afghanistan can surely give it a new fillip." Afghanistan's debut as a test nation will be celebrated by cricket fans the world over, and the ICC will hope it injects new flourish and excitement into the format. Awarded full member status alongside Ireland in June last year, Afghanistan is from today the world's 12th Test-playing nation. Cricket is relatively new in Afghanistan — it was picked up by refugees who fled to Pakistan during the Soviet invasion. Despite being banned by the Taliban and condemned by religious extremists — terrorists bombed a community game of cricket in Jalalabad in May, killing eight and injuring dozens — a young generation of cricket stars has emerged from the troubled nation. Rashid Khan, already famous in the Indian Premier League, will be bowling for his native Afghanistan in the historic test match. ( AP:Aijaz Rahi Nineteen-year-old leg spinner Rashid Khan is already a hero among his countrymen, the youngster playing in the lucrative Indian Premier League this year. Can the Afghan team bring a competitive game? "I for one expect a fight," said Majumdar. "The spinners are world-class and they will challenge the Indian batsmen. "The issue is can the Afghan batsmen adjust to the rigours of the five-day game? That's what will decide how competitive they can or will be." Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen addressed the team at a dinner last week. "You guys are sitting on the very edge of history," he said. "The doom-mongers say this is a dying form of the game, but you have it within your grasp to keep it alive. "I have every faith that at some stage during the game one of you will lift your bat — or the ball — up high. "Not just to acknowledge the applause for your personal achievement, but more significantly, to pinpoint that moment when all your hard work, the sacrifices you have made and the expectations of others that you have carried on your shoulders have borne fruit."<doc-sep>
Last updated on .From the section Cricket Shikhar Dhawan became the first Indian to hit a Test century before lunch with his 87-ball knock First Test, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore (day one): India 347-6 (78 overs): S Dhawan 107, Vijay 105; Ahmadzai 2-32 Afghanistan: Yet to bat Scorecard Afghanistan's bowlers had some late success on the opening day of the country's Test debut against India. India opted to bat first and dominated for much of the day, with opener Shikhar Dhawan becoming the sixth Test player to reach a century before lunch. Dhawan put on 168 runs with Murali Vijay (105) in Bangalore before he was dismissed by Yamin Ahmadzai to hand Afghanistan their first Test wicket. The visitors then took three wickets for 16 runs as India ended on 347-6. Vijay was trapped lbw by Mujeeb ur Rahman, while Wafadar and Rashid Khan took a wicket apiece. Dinesh Karthik was run out for four as Afghanistan rallied in the closing stages of the day. Afghanistan's cricket board was formed in 1995 and the country became ICC associate members in 2013, before being awarded Test status in June 2017. Analysis BBC Sport's Sam Sheringham in Bangalore There was a great sense of occasion before the start of play here in Bangalore as the Afghan players were presented with framed Test caps and glad-handed by a host of dignitaries. With their hands on their hearts and beaming grins across their faces, they then belted out their national anthem and soaked up their moment of history. The smiles were soon wiped off their faces, though, as India opener Shikhar Dhawan took advantage of some palpable nerves from the Afghan bowlers to blast a stunning hundred before lunch. And yet still the Afghans seemed determined to enjoy themselves, none more so than Mohammad Shahzad, the portly opening batsman establishing himself as a firm favourite with the Indian crowd for his whole-hearted efforts in the field. Following a couple of rain delays, the Afghans improved dramatically and it was their seamers rather than their much-vaunted spinners who made the initial breakthroughs, much to the delight of a few clusters of flag-waving Afghan supporters in the stands. By the end of the day, however, leg-spinner Rashid Khan was showing exactly why he is one of the most exciting young cricketers in world cricket, taking the scalp of India captain Ajinkya Rahane and showing off his full array of magical deliveries as Test cricket's newcomers finished the day in the ascendancy.