Ajinkya Rahane then one step further and asked the Afghanistan squad members to pose with India while they took a team photograph with the trophy. (Source: BCCI)
The Indian team beat Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs, thus giving them a rather brutal welcome to Test cricket. It was the first time ever that India won a Test match with three days to spare. But Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane and man of the match Shikhar Dhawan heaped praise for their performance in their debut Test. Ajinkya Rahane then one step further and asked the Afghanistan squad members to pose with India while they took a team photograph with the trophy.
In a video clipping from the broadcast that the BCCI put up on its social media handles, Ajinkya Rahane calls the Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikazai and the rest of the team to join the Indians in the team photograph. Harsha Bhogle said from the commentator’s box that before the presentation, the Afghanistan players were taking pictures with India’s stars.
What a brilliant gesture from #TeamIndia to ask @ACBofficials players to pose with them with the Trophy. This has been more than just another Test match #SpiritofCricket #TheHistoricFirst #INDvAFG @Paytm pic.twitter.com/TxyEGVBOU8
— BCCI (@BCCI) 15 June 2018
India put up 474 in their first innings and managed to dismiss Afghanistan for 109 and enforced the follow-on. The visitors then managed to make just 103 runs, and the final Afghanistan wicket was the 24th wicket of the second day, a first in the history of Test cricket in India. Afghanistan had their moments, they dominated the final session on Day 1 and showed a caliber to improve when given more chances to play. Shikhar Dhawan said that it is a learning process and they will learn as they play more long-form matches. “I want to congratulate Afghanistan for making it to this level and Eid Mubarak to all of them. It’s always a learning process. Once they play other sides and start winning, they will get confidence. It’s a big boost for their country,” he said in the post-match press conference.