‘High-quality’ Saleem limits damage despite extreme heat and unhelpful pitch

In the ongoing one-off Test match in New Chandigarh, Afghanistan’s fast-bowling sensation Mohammad Saleem delivered a masterclass in perseverance, demonstrating how ‘High-quality’ Saleem limits damage despite extreme heat and unhelpful pitch conditions. While the Afghan batters struggled significantly to find their footing against a formidable Indian side, Saleem’s extraordinary bowling performance remained the standout highlight of day two, keeping his team in the fight despite massive odds.

A Spectacular Bowling Display Under Hostile Conditions

Afghanistan’s fast bowler Mohammad Saleem garnered praise from all corners of the cricketing world for his incredible bowling figures of 6 for 140 in India’s first innings. On a pitch that offered very little assistance to the fast bowlers, and under an oppressive sun that tested the physical limits of every player on the field, Saleem stood tall. Bowling consistently around the 140kph mark, he proved to be the ultimate workhorse for his captain.

Saleem’s impact was felt early on. Having already dismissed the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan on Saturday, he returned on day two with renewed vigor. Operating with the second new ball, which was about nine overs old, Saleem produced a beautiful delivery to dismiss Shubman Gill, who was well-set on 126, catching him behind. This crucial wicket showed Saleem’s ability to break partnerships even when the pitch seemed completely flat.

Just a few overs later, Saleem struck again. Dhruv Jurel misjudged the line of a delivery and decided to shoulder arms, only to watch in dismay as the ball crashed into the top of his off stump. Saleem did not stop there; he continued to toil hard to clean up the tail, eventually dismissing Manav Suthar and Mohammed Siraj before India decided to declare their mammoth first innings at 564 for 8. Saleem’s relentless spell was the primary reason India did not post an even more imposing total.

Praise from the Dressing Rooms: Pybus and Sundar Applaud

The cricketing community was quick to acknowledge the sheer quality of Saleem’s spell. Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus was full of praise for the young pacer, emphasizing the immense character required to perform in such conditions. “He was just fantastic,” Pybus remarked after the day’s play. “If you come here and you take six wickets in extreme heat against high-quality batting, that goes very well – not just for him as a bowler, but for us as a side. He just held a length. And I think if you hold a length, you’re in the game the whole time.”

Even the opposition camp could not help but admire Saleem’s dedication. India all-rounder Washington Sundar was equally effusive in his praise, pointing out how difficult it was for pace bowlers to extract anything from the New Chandigarh surface. “That was honestly high-quality bowling,” Sundar admitted. “There was not much in the pitch for the seamers. Only when you hit the seam over a period of time, you sort of get a little bit of purchase. To hit the seam consistently over a number of overs takes a lot of skill and attitude.”

Sundar also highlighted Saleem’s physical stamina and mental fortitude, noting the length of his spells. “He bowled long spells – think every single spell he bowled, he bowled more than four, five, [or] even six overs in one of the spells. You understand how tough he is as a character.”

The Costly DRS Lapses That Hurt Afghanistan

While Saleem’s individual brilliance limited the damage, Afghanistan’s overall position could have been significantly better had they been sharper with their Decision Review System (DRS) calls. A clear lack of conviction in the field allowed several Indian batsmen to survive close calls, which ultimately cost Afghanistan dearly on the scoreboard.

The issues began on Saturday when KL Rahul was on just 16. A caught-behind appeal was turned down by the umpire, and Afghanistan decided against reviewing the decision. Replays later revealed that Rahul should have been out. He went on to capitalize on this reprieve, scoring a magnificent 100.

The hesitation continued into Sunday morning. In the fourth over of the day (the 89th over of India’s innings), Azmatullah Omarzai struck Shubman Gill on the pads. Umpire Sharfuddoula ruled it not out, and Afghanistan chose not to review. On the very next delivery, Omarzai went up for a caught-behind appeal against Rishabh Pant. Once again, Sharfuddoula remained unmoved, and once again, Afghanistan declined to use the DRS. Host broadcasters later showed that replays confirmed both batters were actually out.

Head coach Richard Pybus did not hide his disappointment regarding these missed opportunities. “We were exceptionally rusty,” Pybus said frankly. “Without throwing anybody under the bus, I think there was a lack of conviction in decision-making.”

Pybus explained the complex dynamics behind making quick DRS decisions on the field. “At the end of the day, the skipper has got a very short period of time to make those decisions. He has got a couple of guys that he is speaking to for the decision-making process. He has got the wicketkeeper, who has to give him his alignment. He has got a point who needs to give him height. And he is reliant on the bowler as well in terms of what the bowler is seeing in front of him. So we chatted about it afterwards because we were obviously way off the pace with that, and it cost us.”

Batting Collapse Leaves Afghanistan Reeling

While Saleem did everything in his power to keep the bowling unit competitive, the Afghanistan batters failed to back up his heroic efforts. Facing a daunting Indian total of 564, the top order crumbled under pressure. By the time stumps were drawn on day two, Afghanistan was reeling at a precarious 113 for 5.

With only five wickets remaining in their first innings, Afghanistan still trails India by a massive 451 runs. The team now faces an uphill battle to avoid a heavy defeat, and the remaining batsmen will need to show the same level of grit and determination on day three that Mohammad Saleem displayed with the ball on day two.