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

A Solitary Spark in New Chandigarh

The one-off Test match between India and Afghanistan in New Chandigarh has highlighted the stark contrast between individual brilliance and collective team struggles. While the Afghan batting lineup faltered under pressure, fast bowler Mohammad Saleem emerged as a beacon of resilience. In an exceptional display of endurance and skill, ‘High-quality’ Saleem limits damage despite extreme heat and unhelpful pitch, claiming a heroic six-wicket haul (6 for 140) to keep his side from completely spiraling out of the contest.

Breaking Down Saleem’s Six-Wicket Haul

Entering the match under a scorching sun and on a surface offering minimal assistance to fast bowlers, Saleem’s task was monumental. Yet, the speedster maintained a consistent pace of around 140kph throughout his spells. His discipline paid off over two gruelling days of cricket.

After dismissing the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan on the opening day, Saleem returned on Day 2 with renewed vigor. Armed with the second new ball, which was roughly nine overs old, he produced a beautiful delivery to find the edge of Shubman Gill, who was dismissed for a magnificent 126. This crucial breakthrough halted India’s momentum just as they looked to accelerate.

Saleem’s persistence did not stop there. A few overs later, he outsmarted Dhruv Jurel, who misjudged the line and decided to shoulder arms, only to watch in dismay as the ball crashed into the top of his off stump. Saleem completed his thoroughly deserved five-wicket haul and eventually finished with figures of 6 for 140 after dismissing Manav Suthar and Mohammed Siraj, prompting India’s declaration at a mammoth 564 for 8.

Rave Reviews from Both Camps

Saleem’s performance drew praise from teammates and opponents alike, emphasizing the sheer physical and technical effort required to succeed under such conditions.

Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus was full of admiration for his young fast bowler. “He was just fantastic,” Pybus remarked. “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.”

Indian allrounder Washington Sundar echoed these sentiments, highlighting the technical proficiency required to extract movement from the New Chandigarh track. “That was honestly high-quality bowling,” Sundar said. “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 pointed out Saleem’s remarkable physical stamina. “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,” Sundar added.

DRS Blunders Compound Afghanistan’s Woes

While Saleem’s individual brilliance kept the score somewhat manageable, Afghanistan’s lack of tactical sharpness on the field cost them dearly. A series of missed Decision Review System (DRS) opportunities allowed key Indian batsmen to escape early on, severely hampering the visitors’ chances of restricting the hosts to a lower total.

The most glaring errors occurred early on Day 2 during the 89th over of India’s innings. Azmatullah Omarzai struck Shubman Gill on the pads, but umpire Sharfuddoula turned down the leg-before-wicket appeal. On the very next delivery, Omarzai appealed passionately for a caught-behind against Rishabh Pant, which was also dismissed by the umpire. In both instances, Afghanistan chose not to review. Subsequent television replays confirmed that both Gill and Pant were indeed out, leaving the bowling side frustrated by their own hesitation.

This was not an isolated incident. On the first day, KL Rahul survived a caught-behind non-decision when he was on just 16 runs. Afghanistan failed to use the DRS, and Rahul went on to punish them by compiling a superb century (100).

Reflecting on these critical lapses, coach Pybus admitted the team was far from their best in terms of communication. “We were exceptionally rusty,” Pybus stated. “Without throwing anybody under the bus, I think there was a lack of conviction in decision-making.”

He further explained the complex nature of making DRS calls under pressure: “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.”

A Steep Hill to Climb for the Batters

Following India’s declaration at 564 for 8, the focus shifted to the Afghanistan batters, who unfortunately could not replicate Saleem’s grit. Facing a disciplined Indian bowling attack, the top order crumbled under pressure. By the time stumps were drawn on Day 2, Afghanistan were reeling at 113 for 5, still trailing India by a massive 451 runs.

With three days remaining in the Test match, Afghanistan faces an uphill battle to save the game. The batsmen will need to show the same level of application, discipline, and mental fortitude that Mohammad Saleem displayed during his tireless bowling marathon if they are to mount a comeback in New Chandigarh.