Shikhar Dhawan destroys Rashid Khan, puts India firmly in the driver's seat at the end of the first session in Afghanistan's Test debut.
Much of the talk about Afghanistan's Test debut revolved around the fact that India's talismanic leader Virat Kohli would not be playing. Many argued that India was making a mistake by taking the visitors lightly and fielding a weakened XI.
On Thursday, on the first day of the Test in Bengaluru, Shikhar Dhawan made a mockery of any such claim. The left-hander became the first Indian to score a century before lunch as he pummeled the Afghan attack.
Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bat first on a wicket that had a tinge of grass. His openers gave the team a memorable start as India went to lunch at 158 for no loss in 27 overs. Dhawan was unbeaten on 104 off 91, while Murali Vijay looked solid at the other end with 41 from 72.
Dhawan was at his sublime best as he knocked the Afghan bowlers to all corners of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. He was particularly severe against his Sunrisers Hyderabad team-mate, and someone who was regarded as the biggest threat for India going into the contest, Rashid Khan.
Dhawan greeted Rashid with three boundaries in the leg-spinner's first over. Later, he smashed 14 runs from three deliveries against the IPL star.
Twitter was in awe of 'Gabbar' and didn't hold back in expressing their admiration for the hard-hitting batsman.
Here are some tweets
Playing XIs of both teams
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Lokesh Rahul, Dinesh Karthik (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.
Afghanistan: Mohammad Shahzad, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Stanikzai (c), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Afsar Zazai (wk), Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Wafadar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his century in his trademark style on Thursday")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}